^ 
* 


LIBRARY 

BX  9178  .B668"C7^  1839 
Boston,  Thomas,  1677-1732. 
The  crook  in  the  lot 


The  John  >1I.  Krelis  Donation. 


RECOMMENDATION. 

I  AM  gratified  to  learn  that  you  are  about  to 
publish  Boston's  "  Crook  in  the  Lot."  Few 
books  contain  so  much  valuable  matter  within 
the  same  space.  It  may  be  considered  an  ex- 
position of  God's  providence  towards  his  people, 
while  performing  their  pilgrimage  through  this 
vale  of  tears;  and  was  evidently  the  fruit  of 
much  observation  of  the  dispensations  of  God, 
and  of  profound  acquaintance  with  the  Holy 
Scriptures.  I  do  not  know  that  I  could  point 
out  a  work  so  well  adapted  to  reconcile  the  af- 
flicted saint  to  his  lot  in  this  world,  and  at  the 
same  time  to  teach  him  how  to  derive  benefit 
from  those  events  which  are  most  adverse  to  his 
natural  inclinations.  I  can,  therefore,  cordially 
recommend  this  little  volume  to  all  who  desire 
wisely  to  interpret,  and  faithfully  to  improve, 
the  dealings  of  Providence  towards  them;  espe- 
cially in  the  *'  dark  and  cloudy  day"  of  adver- 
sity. 

A.  Alexander. 


THE 


CROOK   IN   THE   LOT; 


A  DISPLAY  OF  THE 


SOVEREIGNTY  AND  WISDOM   OF   GOD 


IN  THE  AFFLICTIONS  OF  MEN, 


CHRISTIAN'S  DEPORTMENT  UNDER  THEM. 


BY  REV,  THOMAS  BOSTON. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
WILLIAM   S.    MARTIEN. 

NEW  YORK  :    ROBERT  CARTER. — PITTSBURGH  :    PATTERSON 
AND    INGRAM. 

1839. 


PREFACE. 


Thomas  Boston,  the  author  of  The  Crook 
in  the  Lot,  was  born  in  the  town  of  Diinse, 
Scotland,  A.  D.  1676,  of  respectable  and  reli- 
gious parentage,  and  was  the  youngest  of  seven 
children.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  the  Gos- 
pel in  1697,  and  was  ordained  at  Simprin  in 
1699.  In  the  year  1700  he  married  Catherine 
Brown,  a  lady  of  good  family  and  rare  endow- 
ments of  mind ;  by  her  he  had  a  number  of 
children,  four  of  whom  survived  him.  He  de- 
parted this  life  in  the  hope  of  a  glorious  immor- 
tality, A.D.  1732,  in  the  56th  year  of  his  age. 

In  person,  Mr.  Boston  was  above  the  middle 
stature,  and  of  a  grave  and  amiable  aspect.  His 
mind  was  vigorous  and  fruitful;  his  imagina- 
tion lively  but  under  due  restraint;  his  judg- 
ment solid ;  his  affections  warm  and  tender;  and 
his  whole  demeanour  courteous,  obliging,  and 
benevolent.  Under  provocation  he  was  gentle, 
and  always  manifested  a  delicate  regard  for  the 
feelings  of  others ;  but  when  a  just  occasion  of 


Xll  PREFACE. 

rebuke  occurred  he  was  always  prompt  in  ad- 
ministering it. 

Having  become  in  early  life  a  subject  of  di- 
vine grace,  he  honoured  his  profession  by  a 
deportment  at  once  consistent  and  uniform.  He 
was  pre-eminently  a  man  of  prayer,  cultiva- 
ting a  close  communion  with  God,  and  receiving 
many  encouraging  evidences  of  his  personal  ac- 
ceptance. The  divine  providence  was  carefully 
observed  and  recorded  by  him  in  all  its  opera- 
tions, and  the  law  of  God  was  regarded  in  all 
its  claims  with  the  most  scrupulous  exactness. 
Tender  in  conscience,  watchful  in  spirit,  and 
rich  in  Christian  experience,  his  effort  was  to 
avoid  even  the  appearance  of  evil,  and  to  be 
fruitful  in  every  good  work. 

In  regard  to  others,  he  was  affectionate  as  a 
husband,  indulgent  as  a  father,  and  sincere  and 
faithful  as  a  friend.  Not  only  did  he  extend  his 
counsel  and  sympathy  to  the  distressed,  but  one 
tenth  of  his  annual  income  was  religiously  devo- 
ted to  the  relief  of  the  poor. 

As  a  scholar,  Mr.  Boston  was  well  versed  in 
the  Latin,  Greek,  Hebrew,  and  French  lan- 
guages, and  in  other  departments  of  learning, 
was  no  novice.  As  a  Theologian,  his  various 
works  afford  the  best  evidence  of  his  great  ac- 
quirements, of  his  sound  and  judicious  views, 
and  of  his  skill  in  defending  the  truth.     In  his 


PREFACE.  XIU 

application  to  study  he  was  indefatigable,  and  it 
was  with  him  a  rule,  to  leave  no  subject  he  was 
investigating,  until  he  had  mastered  its  difficul- 
ties. Yet  withal  he  was  so  unostentatious,  that 
nothing  in  his  manner  betrayed  the  conceit  of 
learning.  He  was  a  liberal  admirer  of  the  gifts 
of  others,  and  was  unwilling  to  detract  from  their 
merits,  although  they  might  differ  with  him  in 
opinion. 

As  a  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  he  was  particu- 
larly conspicuous.  He  was  "  mighty  in  the 
Scriptures,"  not  only  in  his  critical  acquaint- 
ance with  them,  but  in  his  understanding  of 
their  spirit  and  power ;  by  which  he  was  well 
qualified  to  expound  in  a  clear,  simple,  and  co- 
gent manner  the  great  mysteries  of  the  Gospel 
to  others.  His  tiioughts  were  generally  just 
and  often  profound;  his  mode  of  expression 
simple  and  yet  forcible ;  his  imagination  fertile 
in  happily  adapted  illustrations;  his  delivery 
graceful  and  earnest ;  and  in  his  whole  manner 
in  the  pulpit,  gravity,  meekness,  and  authority 
Avere  happily  blended.  His  ministrations  were 
not  only  acceptable,  but  successful  in  the  conver- 
sion of  sinners,  and  in  the  edification  of  saints. 
M .  Boston,  although  a  devoted  student,  never 
suffered  his  delightful  pursuit  of  knowledge,  to 
interfere  with  his  pastoral  visitations.  In  pre- 
paring for  the  pulpit,  he  generally  wrote  out  his 


XIV  PREFACE. 

sermons  in  full; — an  example  worthy  of  imita- 
tion by  more  modern  preachers.  It  is  a  remark- 
able fact  that,  although  Mr.  Boston  was  so  emi- 
nently endowed  by  grace  and  mental  culture  for 
the  work  of  the  ministry,  yet  he  was  tempted  to 
abandon  it  after  he  had  entered  on  it,  from  a 
deep  and  humbling  sense  of  his  unfitness  for  the 
work.     This  was  indeed  a  rare  humility. 

In  ecclesiastical  judicatories  Mr.  Boston  dis- 
played great  wisdom  and  prudence,  and  was 
well  qualified  to  give  counsel  in  difficult  and 
intricate  cases.  His  talent  was  so  admirable  in 
framing  minutes,  that  he  was  pronounced  by  a 
statesman  of  considerable  note,  the  best  clerk  he 
had  ever  known  in  any  court,  civil  or  ecclesias- 
tical. 

In  relation  to  the  general  concerns  of  the 
church,  zeal  and  knowledge  were  happily  com- 
bined in  him  ;  and  in  securing  its  best  interests, 
few  were  so  zealous  for  its  purity,  or  studious  of 
its  peace.  He  was  no  friend  to  innovations,  and 
always  subjected  novel  suggestions  to  the  most 
careful  scrutiny.  His  opinion  on  the  subject  of 
controversy  was,  that  error  was  best  confuted  by 
a  strong  representation  of  the  truth  ;  and  in  his 
defence  of  the  Protestant  doctrine  against  the 
aspersions  of  a  certain  book,  he  fully  vindicated 
the  truth,  answered  objections,  but  still  avoided 
all  offensive  personal  allusions.     In   some  no- 


PREFACE.  •  XV 

tices  of  his  life  written  for  the  use  of  his  chil- 
dren, he  remarks : 

"  Thus  also  I  was  much  addicted  to  peace,  and 
averse  from  controversy ;  though  once  engaged 
therein,  I  was  set  to  g.o  through  with  it.  I  had 
no  great  difficulty  to  retain  a  due  honour  and 
charity  for  my  brethren,  differing  from  me  both 
in  opinion  and  practice.  But  then  I  was  in  no 
great  hazard,  neither  of  being  swayed  by  them  to 
depart  from  what  I  judged  truth  or  duty.  Withal, 
it  was  easy  to  me  to  yield  to  them  in  things 
wherein  I  found  not  myself  in  conscience  bound 
up.  Whatever  precipitant  steps  I  have  made  in 
the  course  of  my  life,  which  I  desire  to  be  hum- 
bled for,  rashness  in  conduct  was  not  my  weak 
side.  But,  since  the  Lord,  by  his  grace,  brought 
me  to  consider  things,  it  was  much  my  exercise 
to  discern  sin  and  duty  in  particular  cases ;  be- 
ing afraid  to  venture  on  things,  until  I  should  see 
myself  called  thereto.  But  when  the  matter  was 
cleared  to  me,  I  generally  stuck  fast  by  it,  being 
as  much  afraid  to  desert  the  way  which  I  took 
to  be  pointed  out  to  me." 

The  same  paper  he  thus  concludes  : 
"  And  thus  have  I  given  some  account  of  the 
days  of  my  vanity.  Upon  the  whole,  I  bless  my 
God  in  Jesus  Christ,  that  ever  he  made  me  a 
Christian,  qnd  took  an  early  dealing  with  my 
soul :  that  ever  he  made  me  a  minister  of  the 


XVI  PREFACE. 

gospel,  and  gave  me  some  insight  into  the  doc- 
trine of  his  grace :  and  that  ever  he  gave  me  the 
blessed  Bible,  and  brought  me  acquainted  with 
the  originals,  and  especially  with  the  Hebrew 
text.  The  world  hath  all  along  been  a  step- 
dame  unto  me,  and  whensoever  I  would  have  at- 
tempted to  nestle  in  it,  there  was  a  thorn  of  un- 
easiness laid  for  me.  Man  is  born  crying,  lives 
complaining,  and  dies  disappointed  from  that 
quarter.  *  All  is  vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit ; 
I  have  waited  for  thy  salvation,  O  Lord.'  " 

It  may  be  interesting  for  the  reader  to  know 
that  the  truly  valuable  treatise  with  which  he  is 
here  presented,  under  a  quaint  title,  was  one  of 
the  last  of  the  author's  writings,  and  therefore 
embodies  much  of  the  maturity  of  his  expe- 
rience. He  was  engaged  in  revising  it  when 
he  was  called  to  cease  from  his  labours.  May 
it  prove  a  happy  legacy  to  every  one  into  whose 
hands  it  may  fall. 


CONTENTS 


Page 
Introductory  Remarks,  -  -  -         19 

PROPOSITION  I. 

Whatsoever  Crook  there  is  in  one's  Lot,  it  is  of 
God's  making,  -  -  -  -         22 

I.  As  to  the  Crook  itself,    .  -  -        22—34 

II.  The  Crook  is  of  God's  making.  How  it  is  of 
his  making.    Why  he  makes  it,  -  35 — 58 

PROPOSITION  II. 

What  God  sees  meet  to  mar,  we  shall  not  be  able  to 
mend  in  our  Lot.  What  Crook  God  makes  in  our 
Lot,  we  shall  not  be  able  to  even,  -  -      58 

I.  God's  marring  and  making  a  Crook  in  one's  Lot, 

as  he  sees  meet,        ....  59 

II.  Men's  attempting  to  mend  or  even  the  Crook  in 
their  Lot,  .  .  -  .  60 

III.  In  what  sense  it  is  to  be  understood,  that  we 
shall  not  be  able  to  mend,  or  even  the  Crook  in 
our  Lot,  -  -  ...        61 

IV.  Some  reasons  of  the  point,        -  -  62 
Directions  for  rightly  managing  the  application  for 

removing  the  Crook  in  our  Lot,        -  -  66 

PROPOSITION  III. 

Considering  the  Crook  in  the  Lot,  as  the  work  of 
God,  is  a  proper  means  to  bring  one  to  behave 
rightly  under  it,        -  -  -  -  76 

I.  What  it  is  to  consider  the  Crook  as  the  work  of 
God, 76 

II.  How  it  is  to  be  understood  to  be  a  proper  means 

to  bring  one  to  behave  rightly  under  the  Crook.       78 

III.  That  it  is  a  proper  mean  to  bring  one  to  be- 
have rightly  under  it.  -  -  -  81 

A  comparison  between  the  Lowly  and  Proud,     -        83 

\  - 


XVlll  CONTENTS. 

•Page. 
DocT. — There  is  a  generation  of  lowly  afflicted 
ones,  having  their  spirit  lowered  and  brought 
down  to  their  lot ;  whose  case,  in  that  respect,  is 
better  than  that  of  the  proud  getting  their  will, 
and  carrying  all  to  their  mind,  -  -  86 

I.  The  generation  of  the  lowly  afflicted  ones,         -     ib. 

II.  The  generation  of  the  proud  getting  their  will, 
and  carrying  all  to  their  mind,  -  -  92 

III.  It  is  better  to  be  in  a  low  afflicted  condition, 
with  the  spirit  humble  and  brought  down  to  the 
lot,  than  to  be  of  a  proud  and  high  spirit,  getting 
the  lot  brought  up  to  it,  and  matters  go  according 

to  one's  mind,  ....  96 

Humility  the  great  means  to  bring  all  to  their  re- 
spective duties,  -  -  .  .104 
DocT.  I.  The  bent  of  one's  heart,  in  humbling  cir- 
cumstances, should  lie  towards  a  suitable  hum- 
bling of  the  spirit,  as  Under  God's  mighty  hand 
placing  us  in  them,        ...  -    107 

II.  What  are  those  humbling  circumstances  the 
mighty  hand  of  God  brings  men  into,  -  109 

III.  What  it  is  in  humbling  circumstances,  to  hum- 
ble ourselves  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God,  111 

Directions  for  reaching  humiliation,  -  119 

DocT.  II.  In  due  time,  those  that  humble  them- 
selves under  the  mighty  hand  of  God  will  cer- 
tainly  be  lifted  up,        -  -  -  -     128 


THE 


CROOK   IN  THE  LOT 


EccLEs.  vii.  13. 

Consider  the  work  of  God :  for  tvJio  can  make  that 
straight  which  he  hath  made  crooked? 

A  JUST  view  of  afflicting  incidents  is  altogether 
necessary  to  a  Christian  deportment  under  them ; 
and  that  view  is  to  be  obtained  only  by  faith,  not  by 
sense ;  for  it  is  the  light  of  the  word  alone  that  re- 
presents them  justly,  discovering  in  them  tlie  work 
of  God,  and,  consequently,  designs  becoming  the 
divine  perfections.  When  these  are  perceived  by  the 
eye  of  faith,  and  duly  considered,  we  have  a  just  view 
of  afflicting  incidents,  fitted  to  quell  the  turbulent 
motions  of  corrupt  afi'cctions  under  dismal  outward 
appearances. 

It  is  under  this  view  that  Solomon,  in  the 
preceding  part  of  this  chapter,  advances  several 
paradoxes,  which  are  surprising  determinations  in 
favour  of  certain  things,  that,  to  the  eye  of  sense, 
looking  gloomy  and  hideous,  are  therefore  generally 
reputed  grievous  and  shocking.  He  pronounceth 
the  day  of  one's  death  to  be  better  than  the  day  of 
4 


20  INTRODUCTORY  OBSERVATIONS. 

his  birth  ;  namely,  the  day  of  the  death  of  one,  who 
having  become  the  friend  of  God  through  faith,  hath 
Jed  a  hfe  to  the  honour  of  God,  and  service  of  his 
generation,  and  thereby  raised  himself  the  good 
and  savoury  name  better  than  precious  ointment, 
ver.  1.  In  like  manner,  he  pronounces  the  house  of 
mourning  to  be  preferable  to  the  house  of  feasting, 
sorrow  to  laughter,  and  a  wise  man's  rebuke  to  a 
fool's  song;  for  that,  howbeit  the  latter  are  indeed 
the  more  pleasant,  yet  the  former  are  the  more 
profitable,  ver.  2 — 6.  And  observing  with  concern, 
how  men  are  in  hazard,  not  only  from  the  world's 
frowns  and  ill-usage,  oppression  making  a  wise  man 
mad,  but  also  from  its  smiles  and  caresses,  a  gift 
destroying  the  heart ;  therefore,  since  whatever  way 
it  goes  there  is  danger,  he  pronounces  the  end  of 
every  worldly  thing  better  than  the  beginning  thereof, 
ver.  7,  8.  And  from  the  whole,  he  justly  infers,  that 
it  is  better  to  be  humble  and  patient,  than  proud 
and  impatient,  under  afflicting  dispensations  ;  since, 
in  the  former  case,  we  wisely  submit  to  what  is 
really  best ;  in  the  latter,  we  fight  against  it,  ver.  8. 
And  he  dissuades  from  being  angry  with  our  lot,  be- 
cause of  the  adversity  found  therein,  ver.  9 ;  cautions 
against  making  odious  comparisons  of  former  and 
present  times,  in  that  point  insinuating  undue  reflec- 
tions on  the  providence  of  God,  ver.  10:  and,  against 
that  querulous  and  fretful  disposition,  he  first  pres- 
cribes a  general  remedy,  namely,  holy  wisdom,  as 
that  which  enables  us  to  make  the  best  of  every  thing, 
and  even  givethlife  in  killing  circumstances,  ver.  11, 
12;  and  then  a  particular  remedy,  consisting  in  a  due 
application  of  that  wisdom,  towards  taking  a  just 
view  of  the  case,  "Consider  the  work  of  God: 
for  who  can  make  that  straight  which  he  hath  made 
crooked  ?" 


BENEFIT  OF  DUE  CONSIDERATION.  21 

In  which  words  are  proposed,  1.  The  remedy  it- 
self; 2.  The  suitableness  thereof. 

1.  'J'he  remedy  itself,  is  a  wise  eyeing  of  the  hand 
of  God  in  all  we  find  to  bear  hard  upon  us :  "  Con- 
sider the  work  (or,  see  thou  the  doing)  of  God," 
namely,  in  the  crooked,  rough,  and  disagreeable  parts 
of  thy  lot,  the  crosses  thou  findest  in  it.  Thou  seest 
very  well  the  cross  itself;  yea,  thou  turnest  it  over 
and  over  in  thy  mind,  and  leisurely  viewest  it  on  all 
sides :  thou  lookest,  withal,  to  this  and  the  other 
second  cause  of  it,  and  so  thou  art  in  a  foam  and 
fret.  But,  wouldst  thou  be  quieted  and  satisfied  in 
the  matter,  lift  up  thine  eyes  towards  heaven,  see  the 
doing  of  God  in  it,  the  operation  of  his  hand.  Look 
at  that,  and  consider  it  well ;  eye  the  first  cause  of 
the  crook  in  thy  lot ;  behold  how  it  is  the  work  of 
God,  his  doing. 

2.  This  view  of  the  crook  in  our  lot  is  very  suita- 
ble to  still  indecent  risings  of  heart,  and  quiet  us 
under  it :  "  For  who  can  (that  is,  none  can)  make 
that  straight  which  God  hath  made  crooked?"  As 
to  the  crook  in  thy  lot,  God  hath  made  it:  and  it 
must  continue  while  he  will  have  it  so.  Shouldst 
thou  ply  thine  utmost  force  to  even  it,  or  make  it 
straight,  thine  attempt  will  be  vain  :  it  will  not  alter 
for  all  thou  canst  do  ;  only  he  who  made  it  can  mend 
it,  or  make  it  straight.  This  consideration,  this  view 
of  the  matter,  is  a  proper  means,  at  once,  to  silence 
and  to  satisfy  men,  and  so  to  bring  them  unto  a  duti- 
ful submission  to  their  Maker  and  Governor,  under 
the  crook  in  their  lot. 

Now,  we  take  up  the  purpose  of  the  text  in  these 
three  propositions. 

Prop.  I.  Whatsoever  crook  there  is  in  one's  lot,  it 
is  of  God's  making. 


22  THE  CROOK  IN  THE  LOT. 

Prop.  II.  What  God  sees  meet  to  mar,  no  one  shall 
be  able  to  mend  in  his  lot. 

Prop.  III.  The  considering  of  the  crook  in  the  lot 
as  the  work  of  God,  or  of  his  making,  is  a  proper 
means  to  bring  us  to  a  Christian  deportment  un- 
der it. 

Prop.  I.  Whatsoever  crook  there  is  in  one's  lot,  it 
is  of  God's  making. 

Here,  two  things  are  to  be  considered,  namely,  the 
crook  itself,  and  God's  making  of  it. 

I.  As  to  the  crook  itself,  the  crook  in  the  lot,  for 
the  better  understanding  thereof,  these  few  things  that 
follow  are  premised. 

1.  There  is  acertain  train  or  course  of  events,  by 
the  providence  of  God,  falling  to  every  one  of  us 
during  our  life  in  this  world :  and  that  is  our  lot,  as 
being  allotted  to  us  by  the  sovereign  God,  our  Creator 
and  Governor,  "  in  whose  hand  our  breath  is,  and 
whose  are  all  our  ways."  This  train  of  events  is 
widely  different  to  different  persons,  according  to 
the  will  and  pleasure  of  the  sovereign  manager,  who 
ordereth  men's  conditions  in  the  world  in  a  great 
variety,  some  moving  in  a  higher,  some  in  a  lower 
sphere. 

2.  In  that  train  or  course  of  events,  some  fall  out 
cross  to  us,  and  against  the  grain ;  and  these  make 
the  crook  in  our  lot.  While  we  are  here,  there  will 
be  cross  events,  as  well  as  agreeable  ones,  in  our  lot 
and  condition.  Sometimes  things  are  sofdy  and 
agreeably  gliding  on ;  but,  by  and  by,  there  is  some 
incident  which  alters  that  course,  grates  us,  and  pains 
us,  as  when  we  have  made  a  wrong  step,  we  begin 
to  halt. 

3.  Every  body's  lot  in  this  world  hath  some  crook 
in  it.     Complainers  are  apt  to  make  odious  compa- 


IT  CAME  IN  BY  SIN.  23 

risons:  they  look  about,  and  taking  a  distant  view 
of  the  condition  of  others,  can  discern  nothing  in  it 
but  what  is  straight,  and  just  to  one's  wish ;  so  they 
pronounce  their  neighbour's  lot  wholly  straight. 
But  that  is  a  false  verdict;  there  is  no  perfection 
here ;  no  lot  out  of  heaven  without  a  crook.  For, 
as  to  "  all  the  works  that  are  done  under  the  sun, 
behold  all  is  vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit.  That 
which  is  crooked  cannot  be  made  straight."  Eccl. 
i.  14,  15.  Who  would  not  have  thought  that 
Haman's  lot  was  very  straight,  while  his  family  was 
in  a  flourishing  condition,  and  he  prospering  in  riches 
and  honour,  being  prime  minister  of  state  in  the 
Persian  court,  and  standing  high  in  the  king's  favour  ? 
Yet  there  was,  at  the  same  time,  a  crook  in  his  lot, 
which  so  galled  him,  that  "  all  this  availed  him  no- 
thing." Esth.  V.  ]  3.  Every  one  feels  for  himself, 
where  he  is  pinched,  though  others  perceive  it  not. 
Nobody's  lot,  in  this  world,  is  wholly  crooked ; 
there  are  always  some  straight  and  even  parts  in  it. 
Indeed,  when  men's  passions,  having  got  up,  have 
cast  a  mist  over  their  minds,  they  are  ready  to  say, 
all  is  wrong  with  them,  nothing  right;  but,  though 
in  hell  that  tale  is  true,  and  ever  will  be  so,  yet  it  is 
never  true  in  this  world ;  for  there,  indeed,  there  is 
not  a  drop  of  comfort  allowed,  Luke  xvi.  24,  25,  but 
here  it  always  holds  good,  that  "  it  is  of  the  Lord's 
mercies  we  are  not  consumed."  Lam.  iii.  22. 

4.  The  crook  in  the  lot  came  into  the  world  by 
sin  :  it  is  owing  to  the  fall,  Rom.  v.  12.  "  By  one 
man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin ;" 
under  which  death,  the  crook  in  the  lot  is  compre- 
hended, as  a  state  of  comfort  or  prosperity  is,  in 
scripture  style,  expressed  by  living.  1  Sam.  xxv.  6. 
John  iv.  50,  51.  Sin  so  bowed  the  hearts  and  minds 
of  men,  that  they  became  crooked  in  respect  of  the 
4* 


24  IT  DENOTES  ADVERSITY. 

holy  law ;  and  God  justly  so  bowed  their  lot,  that  it 
became  crooked  too.  And  this  crook  in  our  lot  in- 
separably follows  our  sinful  condition,  till,  dropping 
this  body  of  sin  and  death,  we  get  within  heaven's 
gates. 

These  being  premised,  a  crook  in  the  lot  speaks, 
in  general,  two  things,  (1.)  Adversity,  (2.)  Continu- 
ance. Accordingly  it  makes  a  day  of  adversity,  op- 
posed to  the  day  of  prosperity,  in  the  verse  immedi- 
ately following  the  text. 

The  crook  in  the  lot  is,  first,  some  one  or  other 
piece  of  adversity.  The  prosperous  part  of  one's  lot, 
which  goes  forward  according  to  one's  wish,  is  the 
straight  and  even  part  of  it ;  the  adverse  part,  going 
a  contrary  way,  is  the  crooked  part  thereof.  God 
hath  intermixed  these  two  in  men's  condition  in  this 
world ;  that,  as  there  is  some  prosperity  therein, 
making  the  straight  line,  so  there  is  also  some  adver- 
sity, making  the  crooked  :  which  mixture  hath  place, 
not  only  in  the  lot  of  saints,  who  are  told,  that  "  in 
the  world  they  shall  have  tribulation,"  but  even  in 
the  lot  of  all,  as  already  observed.  Secondly,  it  is 
adversity  of  some  continuance.  We  do  not  reckon 
it  a  crooked  thing,  which,  though  forcibly  bended 
and  bowed  together,  yet  presently  recovers  its  former 
straightness.  There  are  twinges  of  the  rod  of  adver- 
sity, which  passing  like  a  stitch  in  one's  side,  all  is 
immediately  set  to  rights  again:  one's  lot  may  be 
suddenly  overclouded,  and  the  cloud  vanish  ere  he 
is  aware.  But  under  the  crook,  one  having  leisure 
to  find  his  smart,  is  in  some  concern  to  get  the  crook 
made  even.  So  the  crook  in  the  lot  is  adversity, 
continued  for  a  shorter  or  longer  time. 

Now,  there  is  a  threefold  crook  in  the  lot  incident 
to  the  children  of  men. 

1.  One  made  by  a  cross  dispensation,  which,  how- 


SOMETIMES  IS  LONG  CONTINUED.  25 

soever  in  itself  passing,  yet  hath  lasting  effects. 
Such  a  crook  did  Herod's  cruelty  make  in  the  lot  of 
the  mothers  in  Bethlehem,  who  by  the  murderers 
were  left  "  weeping  for  their  slain  children,  and 
would  not  be  comforted,  because  they  were  not." 
Matth.  ii.  18.  A  slip  of  the  foot  may  soon  be  made, 
which  will  make  a  man  go  halting  long  after.  "  As 
the  fishes  are  taken  in  an  evil  net ;  so  are  the  sons 
of  men  snared  in  an  evil  time."  Eccl.  ix.  12.  The 
thing  may  fall  out  in  a  moment,  under  which  the 
party  shall  go  halting  to  the  grave. 

2.  There  is  a  crook  made  by  a  train  of  cross  dis- 
pensations, whether  of  the  same  or  different  kinds, 
following  hard  one  upon  another,  and  leaving  last- 
ing effects  behind  them.  Thus  in  the  case  of  Job, 
while  one  messenger  of  evil  tidings  was  yet  speaking, 
another  came.  Job  i.  16 — 18.  Cross  events  coming 
one  upon  the  neck  of  another,  deep  calling  unto 
deep,  make  a  sore  crook.  In  that  case,  the  party  is 
like  unto  one,  who,  recovering  his  sliding  foot  from 
one  unfirm  piece  of  ground,  sets  it  on  another  equally 
unfirm,  which  immediately  gives  way  under  him 
too :  or,  like  unto  one,  who,  travelling  in  an  un- 
known mountainous  track,  after  having,  with  diffi- 
culty, made  his  way  over  one  mountain,  is  expecting 
to  see  the  plain  country ;  but,  instead  thereof,  there 
comes  in  view,  time  after  time,  a  new  mountain  to 
be  passed.  This  crook  in  Asaph's  lot  had  like  to 
have  made  him  give  up  all  his  religion,  until  he  went 
into  the  sanctuary,  where  this  mystery  of  providence 
was  unriddled  to  him.  Psal.  Ixxiii.  13 — 17.  Solomon 
observes,  "  That  there  be  just  men,  unto  whom  it 
happeneth  according  to  the  work  of  the  wicked." 
Eccl.  viii.  14.  Providence  taking  a  run  against 
them,  as  if  they  were  to  be  run  down  for  good  and 
all.     Whoever  they  be,  whose  life  in  no  part  thereof 


26  WISE  AND  RIGHT,  AS  IT  RESPECTS  GOD. 

affords  them  experience  of  this,  sure  Joseph  missed 
not  of  it  in  his  young  days,  nor  Jacob  in  his  middle 
days,  nor  Peter  in  his  old  days,  nor  our  Saviour  all 
his  days. 

3.  There  is  a  crook  made  by  one  cross  dispensa- 
tion, with  lasting  effects  thereof  coming  in  the  room 
of  another  removed.  Thus  one  crook  straightened, 
there  is  another  made  in  its  place  :  and  so  there  is 
still  a  crook.  Want  of  children  had  long  been  the 
crook  in  Rachel's  lot.  Gen.  xxx.  1.  That  was  at 
length  made  even  to  her  mind  ;  but  then  she  got 
another  in  its  stead,  hard  labour  in  travailing  to  bring 
forih.  Chap.  xxxv.  16.  This  world  is  a  wilderness, 
in  which  we  may  indeed  get  our  station  changed ; 
but  the  remove  will  be  out  of  one  wilderness  station 
to  another.  When  one  part  of  the  lot  is  made  even, 
soon  some  other  part  thereof  will  be  crooked. 

More  particularly,  the  crook  in  the  lot  hath  in  it 
four  things  of  the  nature  of  that  which  is  crooked. 

(I.)  Disagreeableness.  A  crooked  thing  is  way- 
ward; and,  being  laid  to  a  rule,  answers  it  not,  but 
declines  from  it.  There  is  not,  in  any  body's  lot, 
any  such  thing  as  a  crook,  in  respect  of  the  will  and 
purposes  of  God.  Take  the  most  harsh  and  dismal 
dispensation  in  one's  lot,  and  lay  it  to  the  eternal 
decree,  made  in  the  depth  of  infinite  wisdom,  before 
the  world  began,  and  it  will  answer  it  exactly,  with- 
out the  least  deviation,  "all  things  being  wrought 
after  the  counsel  of  his  will."  Eph.  i.  11.  Lay  it  to 
the  providential  will  of  God,  in  the  government  of 
the  world,  and  there  is  a  perfect  harmony. — If  Paul 
is  to  be  bound  at  Jerusalem,  and  "delivered  into 
the  hands  of  the  Gentiles,"  it  is  "the  will  of  the 
Lord  it  should  be  so."  Acts  xxi.  11,  14.  Where- 
fore, the  greatest  crook  of  the  lot  on  earth,  is  straight 
in  heaven :  there  is  no  disagreeableness  in  it  there. 


CROOKED  ONLY  AS  IT  RESPECTS  VS.  27 

But  in  every  person's  lot,  there  is  a  crook  in  respect 
of  their  mind  and  natural  inclination.  The  adverse 
dispensation  lies  cross  to  that  rule,  and  will  by  no 
means  answer  it,  nor  harmonize  with  it.  When 
Divine  Providence  lays  one  to  the  other,  there  is  a 
manifest  disagreeableness :  the  man's  will  goes  one 
way,  and  the  dispensation  another  way:  the  will 
bends  upwards,  and  cross  events  press  down :  so  they 
are  contrary.  And  there,  and  only  there,  lies  the 
crook.  It  is  this  disagreeableness  which  makes  the 
crook  in  the  lot  fit  matter  of  trial  and  exercise  to  us, 
in  this  our  state  of  probation :  in  which,  if  thou 
wouldst  approve  thyself  to  God,  walking  by  faith,  not 
by  sight,  thou  must  quiet  thyself  in  the  will  and  pur- 
pose of  God,  and  not  insist  that  it  should  be  accord- 
ing to  thy  mind.  Job  xxxiv.  33. 

(2.)  Unsightliness.  Crooked  things  are  un- 
pleasant to  the  eye :  and  no  crook  in  the  lot  seemeth 
to  be  joyous,  but  grievous,  making  an  unsightly 
appearance.  Heb.  xii.  11.  Therefore  men  need  to 
beware  of  giving  way  to  their  thoughts,  to  dwell  on 
the  crook  in  their  lot,  and  of  keeping  it  too  much  in 
view.  David  shows  a  hurtful  experience  of  his,  in 
that  kind,  Psal.  xxxix.  3.  "  While  I  was  musing  the 
fire  burned."  Jacob  acted  a  wiser  part,  called  his 
youngest  son  Benjamin,  the  son  of  the  right-hand, 
whom  the  dying  mother  had  named  Benoni,  the  son 
of  my  sorrow ;  by  this  means  providing,  that  the 
crook  in  his  lot  should  not  be  set  afresh  in  his  view, 
on  every  occasion  of  mentioning  the  name  of  his  son. 
Indeed,  a  Christian  may  safely  take  a  steady  and 
leisurely  view  of  the  crook  of  his  lot  in  the  light  of 
the  holy  word,  which  represents  it  as  the  discipline 
of  the  covenant.  So  faith  will  discover  a  hidden 
sightliness  in  it,  under  a  very  unsightly  outward 
appearance;   perceiving  the   suitableness   thereof  to 


28  OFTEN  EXPOSES  TO  TEMPTATION. 

the  infinite  goodness,  love,  and  wisdom  of  God,  and 
to  the  real  and  most  valuable  interests  of  the  parly : 
by  which  means  one  comes  to  lake  pleasure,  and  that 
a  most  refined  pleasure,  in  distresses.  2  Cor.  xii.  10. 
But  whatever  the  crook  in  the  lot  be  to  ihe  eye  of 
faith,  it  is  not  at  all  pleasant  to  the  eye  of  sense. 

(3.)  Unfitness  for  motion.  Solomon  observes 
the  cause  of  the  uneasy  and  ungraceful  walking  of 
the  lame,  Prov.  xxvi.  7.  "  The  legs  of  the  lame  are 
not  equal."  This  uneasiness  they  find,  who  are  ex- 
ercised about  the  crook  in  their  lot :  a  high  spirit 
and  a  low  adverse  lot,  makes  great  difficulty  in  the 
Christian  walk.  There  is  nothing  that  gives  temp- 
tation more  easy  access,  than  the  crook  in  the  lot ; 
nothing  more  apt  to  occasion  out-of-the-way  steps. 
Therefore,  saith  the  apostle,  Heb.  xii.  13.  "  Make 
straight  paths  for  your  feet,  lest  that  which  is  lame 
be  turned  out  of  the  way."  They  who  are  labouring 
under  it  are  to  be  pitied  then,  and  not  to  be  rigidly 
censured ;  though  they  are  rare  persons  who  learn 
this  lesson,  till  taught  by  their  own  experience.  It 
is  long  since  Job  made  an  observation  in  this  case, 
which  holds  good  unto  this  day.  Job  xii.  5.  '*  He 
that  is  ready  to  slip  with  his  feet,  is  as  a  lamp  des- 
pised in  the  thought  of  him  that  is  at  ease." 

(4.)  *'  Aptness  to  catch  hold  and  entangle,  like 
hooks,  fish-hooks."  Amos  iv.  2.  The  crook  in  the 
lot  doth  so  very  readily  make  impression,  to  the 
rufliing  and  fretting  one's  spirit,  irritating  corrup- 
tion, that  Satan  fails  not  to  make  diligent  use  of  it 
for  these  dangerous  purposes  ;  which  point  once 
gained  by  the  tempter,  the  tempted,  ere  he  is 
aware,  fin-ds  himself  entangled  as  in  a  thicket,  out 
of  which  he  knows  not  how  to  extricate  himself.  In 
that  temptation  it  often  proves  like  a  crooked  stick, 
troubling  a  standing  pool,  which  not  only  raises  up 


DIFFERENT  IN  DIFFERENT  PERSONS.  29 

the  miul  all  over,  but  brings  up  from  the  bottom  some 
very  ugly  thing.  Thus  it  brought  up  a  spice  of 
blasphemy  and  atheism  in  Asaph's  case,  Psal.  Ixxiii. 
13.  "  Verily  I  have  cleansed  my  heart  in  vain,  and 
washed  my  hands  in  innocence :"  as  if  he  had  said. 
There  is  nothing  at  all  in  religion,  it  is  a  vain  and 
empty  thing,  that  profiteth  nothing;  I  was  a  fool  to 
have  been  in  care  about  purity  and  holiness,  whether 
of  heart  or  life.  Ah  !  is  this  the  pious  Asaph  ?  How 
is  he  turned  so  white  unlike  himself!  but  the  crook 
in  the  lot  is  a  handle,  whereby  the  temper  makes 
surprising  discoveries  of  latent  corruption  even  in  the 
best. 

This  is  the  nature  of  the  crook  in  the  lot;  let  us 
now  observe  what  part  of  the  lot  it  falls  in.  Three 
conclusions  may  be  established  upon  this  head. 

1st.  It  may  fall  in  any  part  of  the  lot;  there  is  no 
exempted  one  in  the  case :  for,  sin  being  found  in 
every  part,  the  crook  may  take  place  in  any  part. 
Being  "  all  as  an  unclean  thing,  we  may  all  fade  as 
a  leaf."  Isa.  Ixiv.  6.  The  main  stream  of  sin,  which 
the  crook  readily  follows,  runs  in  very  different  chan- 
nels, in  the  case  of  different  persons.  And  in  regard 
of  the  various  dispositions  of  the  minds  of  men,  that 
will  prove  a  sinking  weight  unto  one,  which  another 
would  go  very  lightly  under. 

2dly.  It  may  at  once  fall  into  many  parts  of  the 
lot,  the  Lord  calling,  as  in  a  solemn  day,  one's  ter- 
rors round  about.  Lam.  ii.  22.  Sometimes  God 
makes  one  notable  crook  in  a  man's  lot;  but  its 
name  may  be  Gad,  being  but  the  forerunner  of  a 
troop  which  cometh. — Then  the  crooks  are  multi- 
plied, so  that  the  party  is  made  to  halt  on  each  side. 
While  one  stream,  let  it  from  one  quarter,  is  running 
full   against  him,   another   is   let   in  on   him   from 


30  IN  SOME  IT  APPEARS  IN  BODILY  DEFECTS. 

another  quarter,  till  in  the  end  the  waters  break  in  on 
every  hand. 

3dly.  It  often  falls  in  the  tender  part ;  I  mean, 
that  part  of  the  lot  wherein  one  is  least  able  to  bear 
it,  or,  at  least  thinks  he  is  so.  Psalm  Iv.  12,  13.  "  It 
was  not  an  enemy  that  reproached  me,  then  I  could 
have  borne  it.  But  it  was  thou,  a  man,  mine  equal, 
my  guide,  and  mine  acquaintance."  If  there  is  any 
one  part  of  the  lot,  which  of  all  others  one  is  dis- 
posed to  uestle  in,  the  thorn  will  readily  be  laid 
there,  especially  if  he  belongs  to  God;  in  that 
thing  wherein  he  is  least  of  all  able  to  be  touched, 
he  will  be  sure  to  be  pressed.  There  the  trial  will 
be  taken  of  him ;  for  there  is  the  grand  competition 
with  Christ.  *'  I  take  from  them  the  desires  of  their 
eyes,  and  that  whereupon  they  set  their  minds, 
Ezek.  xxiv.  25.  Since  the  crook  in  the  lot  is  the 
special  trial  appointed  for  every  one,  it  is  altogether 
reasonable,  and  becoming  the  wisdom  of  God,  that 
it  fall  on  that  which  of  all  things  dolh  most  rival 
him. 

But  more  particularly,  the  crook  may  be  observed 
to  fall  in  these  four  parts  of  the  lot. 

First,  In  the  natural  part  affecting  persons  consi- 
dered as  of  the  make  allotted  for  them  by  the  great 
God  that  formed  all  things.  The  parents  of  man- 
kind, Adam  and  Eve,  were  formed  altogether  sound 
and  entire,  without  the  least  blemish,  whether  in  soul 
or  body;  but  in  the  formation  of  their  posterity, 
there  often  appears  a  notable  variation  liom  the  ori- 
ginal. Bodily  defects,  superfluities,  deformities,  in- 
firmities, natural  or  accidental,  made  the  crook  in 
the  lot  of  some  :  they  have  something  unsightly  or 
grievous  about  them.  Crooks  of  this  kind,  more  or 
less  observable,  are  very  common  and  ordinary ;  the 


IN  OTHERS,  IT  AFFECTS  THEIR  REPUTATION.  31 

best  are  not  exempted  from  them:  and  it  is  purely- 
owing  to  sovereign  pleasure  they  are  not  more  nu- 
merous. Tender  eyes  made  the  crook  in  the  lot  of 
Leah,  Gen.  xxix.  17.  Rachel's  beauty  was  balanced 
with  barrenness,  the  crook  in  her  lot,  chap.  xxx.  1. 
Paul,  the  great  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  was,  it  should 
seem,  no  personable  man,  but  of  a  mean  outward 
appearance,  for  which  fools  were  apt  to  contemn 
him,  2  Cor.  x.  10.  Timothy  was  of  a  weak  and 
sickly  frame,  1  Tim.  v.  23.  And  there  is  a  yet  far 
more  considerable  crook  in  the  lot  of  the  lame,  the 
blind,  the  deaf,  and  the  dumb.  Some  are  weak  to  a 
degree  in  their  intellects ;  and  it  is  the  crook  in  the 
lot  of  several  bright  souls  to  be  overcast  with  clouds, 
notably  bemisted  and  darkened,  from  the  crazy  bo- 
dies they  are  lodged  in  :  an  eminent  instance  whereof 
we  have  in  the  grave,  wise,  and  patient  Job,  "going 
mourning  without  the  sun  ;  yea,  standing  up  and 
crying  in  the  congregation."  Job.  xxx.  28. 

Secondly.  It  may  fall  in  the  honorary  part.  There 
is  an  honour  due  to  all  men,  the  small  as  well  as  the 
great.  1  Pet.  ii.  17,  and  that  upon  the  ground  of  the 
original  constitution  of  human  nature,  as  it  was 
framed  in  the  iuiago  of  God.  But,  in  the  sovereign 
disposal  of  holy  Providence,  the  crook  in  the  lot  of 
some  falls  here ;  they  are  neglected  and  slighted ; 
their  credit  is  still  kept  low :  they  go  througli  the 
world  under  a  cloud,  being  put  into  an  ill  name, 
their  reputation  sunk.  This  sometimes  is  the  natu- 
ral consequence  of  their  own  foolish  and  sinful  con- 
duct; as  in  the  case  of  Dinah,  who,  by  her  gadding 
abroad  to  satisfy  her  youthful  curiosity,  regardless  of, 
and  therefore  not  waiting  for  a  providential  call, 
brought  a  lasting  stain  on  her  honour,  Gen.  xxxiv. 
But,  where  the  l^ord  intends  a  crook  of  this  kind  in 
ouc'b  lot,  innocence  will  not  be  able  to  ward  it  olf  in 


32  IN  OTHERS,  THEIR  CALLING  IN  LIFE. 

ail  ill-natured  world ;  neither  will  true  merit  be  able 
to  make  head  against  it,  to  make  one's  lot  stand 
straight  in  that  part.  Thus  David  represents  his 
case,  Psal.  xxxi.  11 — 13.  "They  that  did  see  me 
without,  fled  from  me :  I  am  forgotten  as  a  dead 
man  out  of  mind  :  1  am  like  a  broken  vessel.  For  I 
have  heard  the  slander  of  many." 

Thirdly,  It  may  fall  in  the  vocational  part.  What- 
ever is  a  man's  calling  or  station  in  the  world,  be  it 
sacred  or  civil,  the  crook  in  their  lot  may  take  its 
place  therein.  Isaiah  was  an  eminent  prophet,  but 
most  unsuccessful,  Isa.  liii.  1.  Jeremiah  met  with 
such  a  train  of  discouragements  and  ill  usage  in  the 
exercise  of  his  sacred  function,  that  he  was  very  near 
giving  it  up,  saying,  "  I  will  not  make  mention  of 
him,  nor  speak  any  more  in  his  name."  Jer.  xx.  9. 
The  Psalmist  observes  this  crook  often  to  be  made 
in  the  lot  of  some  men  very  industrious  in  their  civil 
business  who  sow  in  the  fields — and  at  times  "  God 
blesseth  them — and  suffereth  not  their  catUe  to  de- 
crease ;  but  again,  they  are  minished,  and  brought 
low,  through  oppression,  affliction,  and  sorrow." 
Psal.  cvii.  37 — 39.  Such  a  crook  was  made  in 
Job's  lot  after  he  had  long  stood  even.  Some  ma^ 
nage  their  employments  with  all  care  and  diligence ; 
the  husbandman  carefully  labouring  his  ground;  the 
sheep- master  "  diligent  to  know  the  state  of  his 
flocks,  and  looking  well  to  his  herds  ;"  the  tradesman, 
early  and  late  at  his  business ;  the  merchant,  dili- 
gently plying  his,  watching  and  falling  in  with  the 
most  fair  and  promising  opportunities  ;  but  there  is 
such  a  crook  in  that  part  of  their  lot,  as  all  they  are  able 
to  do  can  by  no  means  make  even.  For  why?  The 
most  proper  means  used  for  compassing  an  end  are 
insignificant  without  a  word  of  divine  appointment 
commanding  their  success.     "  Who  is  he  that  sailh, 


IN  OTHERS,  THEIR  NEAREST  RELATIONS.  33 

and  it  comelh  to  pass,  when  the  Lord  commandelh 
it  not?"  Lam.  iii.  37.  People  ply  tlieir  business 
with  skill  and  industry,  but  the  wind  turns  in  their 
face.  Providence  crosses  their  enterprises,  discon- 
certs their  measures,  frustrates  their  hopes  and  ex- 
pectations, renders  their  endeavours  unsuccessful, 
and  so  puts  and  keeps  them  still  in  straitened  cir- 
cumstances. *'  So  the  race  is  not  to  the  swift,  nor 
the  battle  to  the  strong,  neither  yet  bread  to  tiie 
wise."  Eccl.  ix.  11.  Providence  interposing,  crooks 
the  measures  which  human  prudence  and  industry 
had  laid  straight  towards  the  respective  ends ;  so 
the  swift  lose  the  race,  and  the  strong  the  battle, 
and  the  wise  miss  of  bread ;  while,  in  the  mean 
time,  some  one  or  other  providential  incident,  sup- 
plying the  defect  of  human  wisdom,  conduct,  and 
ability,  the  slow  gain  the  race  and  carry  the  prize ; 
the  weak  win  the  battle  and  enrich  themselves 
with  the  spoil ;  and  bread  falls  into  the  lap  of  the 
fool. 

Lastly,  It  may  fall  in  the  relational  part.  Rela- 
tions are  the  joints  of  society;  and  there  the  crook 
in  the  lot  may  take  place,  one's  smartest  pain  being 
often  felt  in  these  joints.  They  are  in  their  nature 
the  springs  of  man's  comfort ;  yet,  they  often  turn 
the  greatest  bitterness  to  him.  Sometimes  this  crook 
is  occasioned  by  the  loss  of  relations.  Thus  a  crook 
was  made  in  the  lot  of  Jacob,  by  means  of  the 
death  of  Rachel,  his  beloved  wife,  and  the  loss  of 
Joseph,  his  son  and  darling,  which  had  like  to  have 
made  him  go  halting  to  the  grave.  Job  laments  this 
crook  in  his  lot.  Job  xvi.  7.  "  Thou  hast  made 
desolate  all  my  company ;"  meaning  his  dear  chil- 
dren, every  one  of  whom  he  had  laid  in  the  grave, 
not  so  much  as  one  son  or  daughter  left  him.  Again, 
sometimes  it  is  made  tln-ough  the  afflictinsf  hand  of 


34  IN  DOMESTIC  DISQUIETUDE. 

God  lying  heavy  on  them :  which,  in  virtue  of  their 
relation,  recoils  on  the  party,  as  is  feehngly  ex- 
pressed by  that  believing  woman,  Matt.  xv.  22. 
"  Have  raercy  on  me,  O  Lord ;  my  daughter  is 
grievously  vexed."  Ephraiin  felt  the  smart  of 
family  afflictions,  "  when  he  called  his  son's  name 
Beriah,  because  it  went  evil  with  his  house." 
1  Chron.  vii.  23.  Since  all  is  not  only  vanity,  but 
vexation  of  spirit,  it  can  hardly  miss,  but  the  more 
of  these  springs  of  comfort  are  opened  to  a  man,  he 
must,  at  one  time  or  other,  find  he  has  but  the  more 
sources  of  sorrows  to  gush  out  and  spring  in  upon 
him  ;  the  sorrow  always  proportioned  to  the  comfort 
found  in  them,  or  expected  from  them.  And,  finally, 
the  crook  is  sometimes  made  here  by  their  proving 
uncomfortable  through  the  disagreeableness  of  their 
temper,  and  disposition.  There  was  a  crook  in 
Job's  lot,  by  means  of  an  undutiful,  ill-natured 
wife.  Job  xix.  17.  In  Abigail's,  by  means  of  a  surly, 
ill-tempered  husband,  1  Sam.  xxv.  25.  In  Eli's, 
through  the  perverseness  and  obstinacy  of  his  chil- 
dren, chap.  ii.  25.  In  Jonathan's,  through  the  fu- 
rious temper  of  his  father,  chap.  xx.  30 — 33.  So  do 
men  oftentimes  find  their  greatest  cross,  where  they 
expected  their  greatest  comfort.  Sin  hath  unhinged 
the  whole  creation,  and  made  every  relation  sus- 
ceptible of  the  crook.  In  the  family  are  found 
masters  hard  and  unjust,  servants  froward  and  un- 
faithful ;  in  a  neighbourhood,  men  selfish  and  uneasy ; 
in  the  church,  ministers  unedifying,  and  offensive  in 
their  walk,  and  people  contemptuous  and  disorderly, 
a  burden  to  the  spirits  of  ministers;  in  the  state, 
magistrates  oppressive,  and  discountenancers  of 
that  which  is  good,  and  subjects  turbulent  and  sedi- 
tious ;  all  these  cause  crooks  in  the  lot  of  their  rela- 
tives.    And  thus  far  of  the  crook  itself. 


OOD,  THE  AUTHOR  OF  THESE  DISPENSATIONS.  35 

II.  Having  seen  the  crook  itself,  we  are  in  the 
next  place,  to  consider  of  God's  making  it.  And  here 
is  to  be  shown,  1.  That  it  is  of  God's  making. 
2.  How  it  is  of  his  making.     3.  Why  he  makes  it. 

First,  That  the  crook  in  the  lot,  whatever  it  is, 
is  of  God's  making  appears  from  these  three  consid- 
erations. 

First,  It  cannot  be  questioned,  but  the  crook  in 
the  lot,  considered  as  a  crook,  is  a  penal  evil,  what- 
ever it  is  for  the  matter  thereof;  that  is,  whether  the 
thing  in  iiself,  its  immediate  cause  and  occasion,  be 
sinful  or  not,  it  is  certainly  a  punishment  or  afflic- 
tion. Now,  as  it  may  be,  as  such,  holily  and  justly 
brought  on  us,  by  our  Sovereign  Lord  and  Judge, 
so  he  expressly  claims  the  doing  or  making  of  it, 
Amos  iii.  6.  "  Shall  there  be  evil  in  a  city,  and  the 
Lord  has  not  done  it?"  Wherefore,  since  there  can 
be  no  penal  evil,  but  of  God's  making,  and  the  crook 
in  the  lot  is  such  an  evil,  it  is  necessarily  concluded 
to  be  of  God's  making. 

Secondly,  It  is  evident,  from  the  scripture  doctrine 
of  divine  providence,  that  God  brings  about  every 
man's  lot,  and  all  the  parts  thereof.  He  sits  at  the 
helm  of  human  affairs,  and  turns  them  about  whi- 
thersoever he  listeth.  "  Whatsoever  the  Lord  pleas- 
ed, that  did  he  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  in  the  seas 
and  all  deep  places,"  Psal.  cxxxv.  6.  There  is  not 
any  thing  whatsoever  befalls  us,  without  his  over- 
ruling hand.  The  same  providence  that  brought  us 
out  of  the  womb,  bringeth  us  to,  and  fixeth  us  in, 
the  condition  and  place  allotted  for  us,  by  him  who 
"  hath  determined  the  times,  and  the  bounds  of  our 
habitation."  Acts  xvii.  26.  It  overrules  the  smallest 
and  most  casual  things  about  us,  such  as  "  hairs  of 
our  head  falling  on  the  ground,"  Matt.  x.  29,  30. 
"  A  lot  cast  into  the  lap."  Prov.  xvi.  33.  Yea,  the 
5* 


36        ALL  ARE  UNDER  HIS  ARRANGEMENT. 

free  acts  of  our  will,  whereby  we  choose  for  our- 
selves, for  even  "the  king's  heart  is  in  the  hand  of 
the  Lord,  as  the  rivers  of  water."  Prov.  xxi.  1.  And 
the  whole  steps  we  make,  and  which  others  make  in 
reference  to  us  ;  for  "  the  way  of  man  is  not  in  him- 
self; it  is  not  in  man  that  walketh  to  direct  his  steps." 
Jer.  X.  23.  And  this,  whether  these  steps  causing 
the  crook  be  deliberate  and  sinful  ones,  such  as  Jo- 
seph's brethren  selling  him  into  Egypt ;  or  whether 
they  be  undesigned,  'such  as  man-slaughter  purely 
casual,  as  when  one  hewing  wood,  kills  his  neighbour 
with  "  the  head  of  the  axe  shpping  from  the  helve." 
Deut.  xix.  5.  For  there  is  a  holy  and  wise  provi- 
dence that  governs  the  sinful  and  the  heedless  actions 
of  men,  as  a  rider  doth  a  lame  horse,  of  whose  halt- 
ing, not  he,  but  the  horse's  lameness,  is  the  truo 
and  proper  cause ;  wdierefore  in  the  former  of  theso 
cases,  God  is  said  to  have  sent  Joseph  into  Egypt» 
Gen.  xlv.  7,  and  in  the  latter,  to  deliver  one  into  his 
neighbour's  hand,  Exod.  xxi.  13. 

Lastly,  God  hath,  by  an  eternal  decree,  immove- 
able as  mountains  of  brass,  Zech.  vi.  1,  appointed 
the  whole  of  every  one's  lot,  the  crooked  parts 
thereof,  as  well  as  the  straight.  By  the  same  eternal 
decree,  whereby  the  high  and  low  parts  of  the  earth, 
the  mountains  and  the  valleys,  were  appointed,  are 
the  heights  and  the  depths,  the  prosperity  and  adver- 
sity, in  the  lot  of  the  inhabitants  thereof  determined  ; 
and  they  are  brought  about,  in  time,  in  a  perfect 
agreeableness  thereto. 

The  mystery  of  Providence,  in  the  government  of 
the  world,  is,  in  all  the  parts  thereof,  the  building 
reared  up  of  God,  in  exact  conformity  to  the  plan  in 
his  decree,  "  who  worketh  all  things  after  the  coun- 
sel of  his  own  will."  Eph.  i.  11.  So  that  there  is 
never  a  crook  in  one's  lot,  but  may  be  run  up  to 


SINLESS  AND  SINFUL  CROOKS  DISTINGUISHED.  37 

this  original.  Hereof  Job  piously  sets  us  an  exam- 
ple in  his  own  case,  Job  xviii.  13,  14.     '*  He  is  in 

one  mind,  and  who  can  turn  him?  and  what  his 
soul  desircth,  even  that  he  doth.  For  he  performeth 
the  thing  that  is  appointed  for  me ;  and  many  such 
things  are  with  him." 

Secondly,  That  we  may  see  how  the  crook  in 
the  lot  is  of  God's  making,  we  must  distinguish 
between  pure  sinless  crooks,  and  impure  sinful 
ones. 

First,  There  are  pure  and  sinless  crooks ;  which 
are  mere  afflictions,  cleanly  crosses,  grievous  indeed, 
but  not  defiling.  Such  was  Lazarus's  poverty,  Ra- 
chel's barrenness,  Leah's  tender  eyes,  the  blindness 
of  the  man  who  had  been  so  from  his  birth,  John 
ix.  1.  Now,  the  crooks  of  this  kind  are  of  God's 
making,  by  the  efficacy  of  his  power  directly  bringing 
them  to  pass,  and  causing  them  to  be.  He  is  the 
maker  of  the  poor,  Prov.  xvii.  5.  "  Whoso  mocketh 
the  poor,  reproacheth  his  Maker ;"  that  is,  reproach- 
eth  God  who  made  him  poor,  according  to  that, 
1  Sam.  ii.  7,  "  The  Lord  maketh  poor."  It  is  he 
that  hath  the  key  of  the  womb,  and  as  he  sees 
meet,  shuts  it,  1  Sam.  i.  5,  or  opens  it.  Gen.  xxix. 
31.  And  it  is  "he  that  formeth  the  eyes,"  Psal. 
xciv.  9.  And  the  man  was  "  born  blind,  that  the 
w^orks  of  God  should  be  made  manifest  in  him." 
John  ix.  3.  Therefore  he  saith  to  Moees,  Exod.  iv. 
11.  "  Who  maketh  the  dumb,  or  deaf,  or  the  seeing, 
or  the  blind  ?  Have  not  I,  the  Lord?"  Such  crooks 
in  the  lot  are  of  God's  making,  in  the  most  ample 
sense,  and  in  their  full  comprehension,  being  the 
direct  effects  of  his  agency,  as  well  as  the  heavens 
and  the  earth. 

Secondly,  There  are  impure  sinful  crooks,  which, 
in  their  own  nature,  are  sins  as  well  as  afflictions, 


38      GOD  TO  BE  ACKNOWLEDGED  IN  ALL  AFFLICTIONS. 

defiling  as  well  as  grievous.  Such  was  the  crook 
made  in  David's  lot,  through  his  family  disorders, 
the  defiling  of  Tamar,  the  murder  of  Amnon,  the 
rebellion  of  Absalom,  all  of  them  unnatural.  Of 
the  same  kind  was  that  made  in  Job's  lot  by  the 
Sabeans  and  Chaldeans,  taking  away  his  substance 
and  slaying  his  servants.  As  these  were  the  afflic- 
tions of  David  and  Job  respectively,  so  they  were 
the  sins  of  the  actors,  the  unhappy  instruments 
thereof.  Thus  one  and  the  same  thing  may  be,  to 
one  a  heinous  sin,  defiling  and  laying  him  under 
guilt,  and  to  another  an  affliction,  laying  him  under 
suffering  only.  Now,  the  crooks  of  this  kind  are 
not  of  God's  making,  in  the  same  latitude  as  those 
of  the  former :  for  he  neither  puts  evil  in  the  heart 
of  any,  nor  stirreth  up  to  it :  "  He  cannot  be 
tempted  with  evil,  neither  tempteth  he  any  man." 
James  i.  13.  But  they  are  of  his  making,  by  his 
holy  permission  of  them ;  powerful  bounding  of 
them,  and  wise  overruling  of  them  to  some  good 
end. 

1st.  He  holily  permits  them,  sufl'ering  men  "  to 
walk  in  their  own  ways."  Acts  xiv.  16.  Though 
he  is  not  the  author  of  those  sinful  crooks,  causing 
them  to  be,  by  the  efficacy  of  his  power :  yet,  if  he 
did  not  permit  them,  willing  not  to  hinder  them, 
they  could  not  be  at  all :  for  "  he  shutteth  and  no 
man  openeth."  Rev.  iii.  7.  But  he  justly  withholds 
his  grace  which  the  sinner  doth  not  desire,  takes  off 
the  restraint  under  which  he  is  uneasy,  and  since  the 
sinner  will  be  gone,  lays  the  reins  on  his  neck,  and 
leaves  him  to  the  swing  of  his  lust.  Hos.  iv.  17. 
"  Ephraim  is  joined  to  idols;  let  him  alone."  Psal. 
Ixxxi.  11,  12.  "Israel  would  none  of  me:  so  I  gave 
them  up  to  their  own  heart's  lusts."  In  which  un- 
happy situation  the  sinful  crook  doth,  from  the  sin- 


LIMITED  BY  HIS  POWER  AND  GOODNESS.  39 

ner's  own  proper  motion,  natnrnlly  and  infallibly 
follow ;  even  as  water  runs  down  a  hill,  wherever 
there  is  a  gap  left  open  before  it.  So  in  these  cir- 
cumstances, "  Israel  walked  in  their  own  counsels." 
ver.  12.  And  thus  this  kind  of  crook  is  of  God's 
making,  as  a  just  judge,  punishing  the  sufferer  by  it. 
This  view  of  the  matter  silenced  David  under  Shi- 
mei's  cursings,  2  Sara.  xvi.  10,  11.  "  Let  him  alone, 
and  let  him  curse,  for  the  Lord  hath  bidden  him." 

2dly.  He  powerfully  bounds  them,  Psal.  Ixxvi.  10. 
"The  remainder  of  wrath"  (that  is,  the  creature's 
wrath)  "thou  shalt  restrain."  Did  not  God  bound 
these  crooks,  howsoever  sore  they  are  in  any  one's 
case,  they  would  be  yet  sorer.  But  he  says  to  the 
sinful  instrument,  as  he  said  to  the  sea,  "  Hitherto 
shalt  thou  come,  but  no  farther;  and  here  shall  thy 
proud  waves  be  stayed."  He  lays  a  restraining 
hand  on  him,  that  he  cannot  go  one  step  farther,  in 
the  way  his  impetuous  lust  drives,  than  he  sees  meet 
to  permit.  Hence  it  comes  to  pass,  that  the  crook 
of  this  kind  is  neither  more  nor  less,  but  just  as  great 
as  he  by  his  powerful  bounding  makes  it  to  be.  An 
eminent  instance  hereof  we  have  in  the  case  of  Job, 
whose  lot  was  crooked  through  a  peculiar  agency  of 
the  devil ;  but  even  to  that  grand  sinner,  God  set  a 
bound  in  the  case:  "The  Lord  said  unto  Satan, 
Behold  all  that  he  hath  is  in  thy  power,  only  upon 
himself  put  not  forth  thine  hand."  Job.  i.  12.  Now, 
Satan  went  the  full  length  of  the  bound,  leaving  no- 
thing within  the  compass  thereof  untouched,  which 
he  saw  could  make  for  his  purpose,  ver.  18,  19. 
But  he  could  by  no  means  move  one  step  beyond  it, 
to  carry  his  point,  which  he  could  not  gain  within  it. 
And  therefore,  to  make  the  trial  greater,  and  the 
crook  sorer,  nothing  remained  but  that  the  bound 
set  should  be  removed,  and  the  sphere  of  his  agency 


40    WISELY  OVERRULED  FOR  SOME  GOOD  PURPOSE. 

enlarged ;  for  which  cause  he  saith,  "  But  touch 
his  bone  and  his  flesh  and  he  will  curse  thee  to  thy 
face,*'  chap,  ii,  5,  and  it  being  removed  accordingly, 
but  withal  a  new  one  set,  ver.  6.  "  Behold  he  is  in 
thine  hand,  but  save  his  life;"  the  crook  was  carried 
to  the  utmost  that  the  new  bound  would  permit,  in 
a  consistency  with  his  design  of  bringing  Job  to 
blaspheme;  "  Satan  smote  him  with  sore  boils,  from 
the  sole  of  his  foot  unto  the  crown  of  his  head." 
ver.  7.  And  had  it  not  been  for  this  bound,  secur- 
ing Job's  life,  he,  after  finding  this  attempt  un- 
successful too,  had  doubtless  despatched  him  at 
once. 

Sdly.  He  wisely  overrules  them  to  some  good 
purpose,  becoming  the  divine  perfections.  While 
the  sinful  instrument  hath  an  ill  design  in  the  crook 
caused  by  him,  God  directs  it  to  a  holy  and  good 
end.  In  the  disorders  of  David's  family,  Amnon's 
design  was  to  gratify  a  brutish  lust;  Absalom's,  to 
glut  himself  with  revenge,  and  to  satisfy  his  pride 
and  ambition ;  but  God  meant  thereby  to  punish 
David  for  his  sin  in  the  matter  of  Uriah.  In  the 
crook  made  in  Job's  lot,  by  Saian,  and  the  Sabeans 
and  Chaldeans,  his  instruments,  Satan's  design  was 
to  cause  Job  to  blaspheme,  and  theirs  to  gratify 
their  covetousness :  but  God  had  another  design 
therein  becoming  himself,  namely,  to  manifest  Job's 
sincerity  and  uprightness.  Did  not  he  wisely  and 
powerfully  overrule  these  crooks  made  in  men's  lot, 
no  good  could  come  out  of  them  ;  but  he  always 
overrules  them  so  as  to  fulfil  his  own  holy  purposes 
thereby :  (howbeit  the  sinner  meaneth  not  so  ;)  for  his 
designs  cannot  miscarry,  his  "  counsel  shall  stand,'* 
Isa.  xlvi.  10.  So  the  sinful  crook  is,  by  the  over- 
ruling hand  of  God,  turned  about  to  his  own  glory, 
and  his  people's  good  in  the  end ;  according  to  the 


WHY  IS  THE  CROOK  ArrOINTEDl  41 

word,  Prov.  xvi.  4.  *'  The  Lord  hath  made  all  things 
for  hhnself."  Rom.  viii.  28.  "  All  things  work  to- 
gether for  good  to  lliem  that  love  God."  Thus 
Haman's  plot  for  the  destruction  of  the  Jews  "  was 
turned  to  the  contrary."  Esth.  ix.  1.  And  the  crook 
made  in  Joseph's  lot,  by  his  own  brethren  selling 
him  into  Egypt,  though  it  was  on  their  part  most 
sinful,  and  of  a  most  mischievous  design  ;  yet,  as  it 
was  of  God's  making,  by  his  holy  permission,  power- 
ful bounding,  and  wisely  overruling  it,  had  an  issue 
well  becoming  the  divine  wisdom  and  goodness: 
both  of  whicli  Joseph  notices  to  them,  Gen.  1.  20. 
"  As  for  you,  ye  thought  evil  against  me;  but  God 
meant  it  unto  good,  to  bring  to  pass,  as  it  is  this  day, 
to  save  much  people  alive." 

Thirdly,  It  remains  to  inquire,  why  God  makes 
a  crook  in  one's  lot?  And  this  is  to  be  cleared  by- 
discovering  the  design  of  that  dispensation  :  a  matter 
which  it  concerns  every  one  to  know,  and  carefully 
to  notice,  in  order  to  a  Christian  improvement  of  the 
crook  in  their  lot.  The  design  thereof  seems  to  be, 
chiefly,  sevenfold. 

First.  The  trial  of  one's  state,  whether  one  is  in 
the  state  of  grace  or  not?  Whether  a  sincere  Chris- 
tian, or  a  hypocrite  ?  Though  every  affliction  is 
trying,  yet  here  I  conceive  lies  the  main  providential 
trial  a  man  is  brought  into,  with  reference  to  his 
state  ;  forasmuch  as  the  crook  in  the  lot,  being  a 
matter  of  a  continued  course,  one  has  occasion  to 
open  and  s.how  himself  again  and  again  in  the  same 
thing;  whence  it  comes  to  pass,  that  it  ministers 
ground  for  a  decision,  in  that  momentous  point.  It 
was  plainly  on  this  foundation  that  the  trial  of  Job's 
state  was  put.  The  question  was,  whether  Job  was 
an  upright  and  sincere  servant  of  God,  as  God  himself 
testified  of  him;  or  but  a  mercenary  one,  a  hypocrite, 


42  FOR  THE  TRIAL  OF  ONE's  STATE. 

as  Satan  alleged  against  him  ?  And  the  trial  hereof 
was  put  upon  the  crook  to  be  made  in  his  lot,  Job 
i.  8-^12.  and  ii.  3—6.  Accordingly,  that  which  all 
his  friends,  save  Elihu,  the  last  speaker,  did,  in  their 
reasonings  with  him  under  his  trial,  aim  at,  was  to 
})rove  him  a  hypocrite;  Satan  thus  making  use  of 
these  good  men  for  gaining  his  point.  As  God 
made  trial  of  Israel  in  the  wilderness,  for  the  land  of 
Canaan,  by  a  train  of  atllicting  dispensations,  which 
Caleb  and  Joshua  bearing  strenuously,  were  declared 
meet  to  enter  the  promised  land,  as  having  followed 
the  Lord  fully;  while  others  being  tired  out  with 
them,  their  carcasses  fell  in  the  wilderness ;  so  he' 
makes  trial  of  men  for  heaven,  by  the  crook  in  their 
lot.  If  one  can  stand  that  test,  he  is  manifested  ta 
be  a  saint,  a  sincere  servant  of  God,  as  Job  was 
proved  to  be ;  if  not,  he  is  but  a  hypocrite ;  he  can- 
not stand  the  test  of  the  crook  in  his  lot,  but  goes 
away  like  dross  in  God's  furnace.  A  melancholy  in- 
stance of  vvhich  we  have  in  that  man  of  honour  and 
wealth,  who,  with  high  pretences  of  religion,  arising 
from  a  principle  of  moral  seriousness,  addressed  him- 
self to  our  Saviour,  to  know  "what  he  should  do 
that  lie  might  inherit  eternal  life."  Mark  x.  17 — 22. 
Our  Saviour,  to  discover  the  man  to  himself,  makes 
a  crook  in  his  lot,  where  all  along  before  it  had  stood 
even,  obliging  him,  by  a  probatory  command,  to  sell 
and  give  away  all  that  he  had,  and  follow  him,  ver. 
21.  "Sell  whatsoever  thou  hast,  and  give  to  the 
poor,  and  come  take  up  the  cross  and  follow  me." 
Hereby  he  was,  that  moment,  in  the  court  of  con- 
science, stript  of  his  great  possessions ;  so  that 
thencefordi  he  could  no  longer  keep  them,  with  a 
good  conscience,  as  he  might  have  done  before. 
The  man  instantly  felt  the  smart  of  this  crook  made 
in  his  lot;  "he  was  sad  at  that  saying."  ver.  22. 


EXCITATION  TO  DUTY.  43 

that  is,  immediately  upon  the  hearing  of  it,  being 
struck  with,  pain,  disorder,  and  confusion  of  mind, 
his  countenance  changed,  became  cloudy  and  lower- 
ing, as  the  same  word  is  used.  Matth.  xvi.  3.  He 
could  not  stand  the  test  of  that  crook ;  he  could  by 
no  means  submit  his  lot  to  God  in  that  point,  but 
behoved  to  have  it,  at  any  rate,  according  to  his  own 
mind.  So  he  "  went  away  grieved,  for  he  had  great 
possessions."  He  went  away  from  Christ  back  to 
his  plentiful  estate,  and  though  with  a  pained  and 
sorrowful  heart,  sat  him  down  again  on  it  a  violent 
possessor  before  the  Lord,  thwarting  the  divine  order. 
And  there  is  no  appearance  that  ever  this  order  was 
revoked,  or  that  ever  he  came  to  a  better  temper  in 
reference  thereunto. 

Secondly,  excitation  to  duty,  weaning  one  from 
this  world,  and  prompting  him  to  look  after  the 
liappiness  of  the  other  world.  Many  have  been 
beholden  to  the  crook  in  their  lot,  for  that  ever  they 
came  to  themselves,  settled,  and  turned  serious. 
Going  for  a  time  like  a  wild  ass  used  to  the  wilder- 
ness, scorning  to  be  turned,  their  foot  hath  slid  in  due 
time ;  and  a  crook  being  thereby  made  in  their  lot, 
their  mouth  hath  come  wherein  they  have  been 
caught.  Jer.  ii.  24.  Thus  was  the  prodigal  brought 
to  himself,  and  obliged  to  entertain  thoughts  of  re- 
turning unto  his  father.  Luke  xv.  17.  The  crook  in 
their  lot  convinces  them  at  length  that  here  is  not 
their  rest.  Finding  still  a  pricking  thorn  of  uneasi- 
ness, whensoever  they  lay  down  their  head  where 
they  would  fain  take  rest  in  the  creature,  and  that 
they  are  obliged  to  lift  it  again,  they  are  brought  to 
conclude,  there  is  no  hope  from  that  quarter,  and 
begin  to  cast  about  for  rest  another  way,  so  it  makes 
them  errands  to  God,  which  they  had  not  before ; 
forasmuch  as  they  feel  a  need  of  tlic  comforts  of  the 
6 


44  CONVICTION  OF  SIN. 

Other  world,  to  which  their  mouths  were  out  of  taste, 
while  their  lot  stood  even  to  their  mind.  Where- 
fore, whatever  use  we  make  of  the  crook  in  our  lot, 
the  voice  of  it  is,  "  Arise  ye  and  depart,  this  is  not 
your  rest."  And  it  is  surely  that,  which  of  all  means 
of  mortification,  of  the  afflictive  kind,  doth  most 
deaden  a  real  Christian  to  this  life  and  world. 

Thirdly,  Conviction  of  sin.  As  when  one  walking 
heedlessly  is  suddenly  taken  ill  of  a  lameness:  his 
goinff  halting-  the  rest  of  his  way  convinces  him  of 
having  made  a  wrong  step;  and  every  new  painful 
step  brings  it  afresh  to  his  mind :  so  God  makes  a 
crook  in  one's  lot,  to  convince  him  of  some  false  step 
he  hath  made,  or  course  he  hath  taken.  What  the 
sinner  would  otherwise  be  apt  to  overlook,  forget,  or 
think  light  of,  is  by  this  means  recalled  to  mind,  set 
before  him  as  an  evil  and  bitter  thing,  and  kept  in 
remembrance,  that  his  heart  may  every  now  and  then 
bleed  for  it  afresh.  Thus,  by  the  crook,  men's  sin 
finds  them  out  to  their  conviction,  "  as  the  thief  is 
ashamed  when  he  is  found."  Numb,  xxxii.  23.  .Ter. 
ii.  26.  The  which  Joseph's  brethren  do  feelingly 
express,  under  the  crook  made  in  their  lot  in  Egypt, 
Gen.  xlii.  21.  "  We  are  verily  guilty  concerning  our 
brother,"  chap.  xliv.  16.  "  God  hath  found  out  the 
iniquity  of  thy  servants."  The  crook  in  the  lot  doth 
usually,  in  its  nature  or  circumstances,  so  naturally 
refer  to  the  false  step  or  course,  that  it  serves  for  a 
providential  memorial  of  it,  bringing  the  sin,  though 
of  an  old  date,  fresh  to  remembrance,  and  for  a  badge 
of  the  sinner's  folly,  in  word  or  deed,  to  keep  it  ever 
before  him.  When  Jacob  found  Leah,  through  La- 
ban's  unfair  dealing,  palmed  upon  him  for  Rachel, 
how  could  he  miss  of  a  stinging  remembrance  of  the 
cheat  he  had,  seven  years  at  least  before,  put  on  his 
own  father,  pretending  himself  to  be  Esau  ?    Gen. 


CORRECTION  FOR  SIN.  45 

xxvii.  19.  How  could  it  miss  of  galling  him  occa- 
sionally afterwards  during  the  course  of  the  marriage  ? 
He  had  imposed  on  his  father  the  younger  brother 
for  the  elder;  and  Laban  imposed  on  him  the  elder 
sister  for  the  younger.  The  dimness  of  Isaac's  eyes 
favoured  the  former  cheat ;  and  the  darkness  of  the 
evening  did  as  much  favour  the  latter.  So  he  be- 
hoved to  say,  as  Adoni-bezek  in  another  case, 
Judges  i.  7.  "  As  I  have  done,  so  God  hath  requited 
me."  In  like  manner,  Rachel  dying  in  childbirth, 
could  hardly  avoid  a  melancholy  reflection  on  her 
rash  and  passionate  expression,  mentioned  Gen. 
XXX.  I.  "  Give  me  children,  or  else  I  die."  Even 
holy  Job  read,  in  the  crook  of  his  lot,  some  false 
steps  he  had  made  in  his  youth,  many  years  before. 
Job  xiii.  26.  "  Thou  writest  bitter  things  against 
me,  and  makest  me  to  possess  the  iniquities  of  my 
youth," 

Fourthly,  Correction,  or  punishment  for  sin.  In 
nothing  more  than  in  the  crook  of  the  lot,  is  that 
word  verified,  Jer.  ii.  19.  "Thine  own  wickedness 
shall  correct  thee,  and  thy  backslidings  shall  reprove 
thee."  God  may,  for  a  time,  wink  at  one's  sin, 
which  afterward  he  will  set  a  brand  of  his  indignation 
upon,  in  crooking  the  sinner's  lot,  as  he  did  in  the 
case  of  Jacob,  and  of  Rachel,  mentioned  before. 
Though  the  sin  was  a  passing  action,  or  a  course  of 
no  long  continuance,  the  mark  of  the  divine  dis- 
pleasure for  it,  set  on  the  sinner  in  the  crook  of  his 
lot,  may  pain  him  long  and  sore,  that  by  repeated 
experience  he  may  know  what  an  evil  and  bitter 
thing  it  was.  David's  killing  Uriah  by  the  sword 
of  the  Ammonites  was  soon  over ;  but  for  that  cause 
"  the  sword  never  departed  from  his  house."  2  Sam. 
xii.  10.  Gehazi  quickly  obtained  two  bags  of 
money  from  Naaman,  in  the  way  of  falsehood  and 


46  PREVENTING  OF  SIN, 

lying ;  but  as  a  lasting  mark  of  the  divine  indigna- 
tion against  the  profane  trick,  he  got  withal  a  leprosy 
which  clave  to  him  while  he  lived,  and  to  his  posterity 
after  him.  2  Kings,  v.  27.  This  may  be  the  case,  as 
well  where  the  sin  is  pardoned,  as  to  the  guilt  of 
eternal  wrath,  as  where  it  is  not.  And  one  may 
have  confessed  and  sincerely  repented  of  that  sin, 
which  yet  shall  make  him  go  halting  to  the  grave, 
though  it  cannot  carry  him  to  heH.  A  man's  person 
may  be  accepted  in  the  Beloved,  who  yet  hath  a  par- 
ticular badge  of  the  divine  displeasure,  with  his  sin 
hung  upon  him  in  the  crook  of  his  lot.  Psal.  xcix.  8. 
*'  Thou  wast  a  God  that  forgavest  them,  though  thou 
tookest  vengeance  on  their  inventions." 

Fifthly,  Preventing  of  sin.  Hos.  ii.  6.  *'  I  will 
hedge  up  thy  way  with  thorns,  and  make  a  wall  that 
she  shall  not  find  her  paths."  The  crook  in  the  lot 
will  readily  be  found  to  lie  cross  to  some  wrong  bias 
of  the  heart,  which  peculiarly  sways  with  the  party: 
so  it  is  like  a  thorn-hedge  or  wall  in  the  way  which 
that  bias  inclines  him  to.  The  defiling  objects  in  the 
world  do  specially  take  and  prove  ensnaring,  as  they 
are  suited  to  the  particular  cast  of  temper  in  men : 
but  by  means  of  the  crook  in  the  lot,  the  paint  and 
varnish  is  worn  off  the  defiling  object,  whereby  it 
loses  its  former  taking  appearance :  thus,  the  edge 
of  corrupt  aff"ections  is  blunted,  temptation  weakened, 
and  much  sin  prevented ;  the  sinner  after  "  gadding 
about  so  much  to  change  his  way,  returning  ashamed." 
Jer.  ii.  36,  37.  Thus  the  Lord  crooks  one's  lot 
that  "  he  may  withdraw  man  from  his  purpose,  and 
hide  pride  from  men :"  and  so  "  he  keepeth  back 
his  soul  from  the  pit."  Job  xxxiii.  17,  18.  Every 
one  knows  what  is  most  pleasant  to  him ;  but  God 
alone  knows  what  is  most  profitable.  As  all  men 
are  liars,  so  all  men  are  fools  too :  He  is  the  only 


DISCOVERY  OF  LATENT  CORRrPTION.  47 

wise  God.  Jude,  ver.  25.  Many  are  obliged  to  the 
crooli  in  their  lot,  that  they  go  not  to  those  excesses, 
which  their  vain  minds  and  corrupt  affections  would 
with  full  sail  carry  them  to  ;  and  they  would  from 
their  hearts  bless  God  for  making  it,  if  they  did  but 
calmly  consider  what  would  most  likely  be  the  issue 
of  the  removal  thereof.  When  one  is  in  hazard  of 
fretting  under  the  hardship  of  bearing  the  crook,  he 
would  do  well  to  consider  what  condition  he  is  as  yet 
in  to  bear  its  removal  in  a  Christian  manner. 

Sixthly,  Discovery  of  latent  corruption,  whether 
in  saints  or  sinners.  There  are  some  corruptions  in 
every  man's  heart,  which  lie,  as  it  were,  so  near  the 
surface,  that  they  are  ready  on  every  turn  to  rise  up  ; 
but  then  there  are  others  also  which  lie  so  very  deep, 
that  they  are  scarcely  observed  at  all.  But  as  the 
fire  under  the  pot  makes  the  scum  to  rise  up,  appear 
a-top,  and  run  over ;  so  the  crook  in  the  lot  raises 
up  from  the  bottom,  and  brings  out,  such  corruption 
as  otherwise  one  could  hardly  imagine  to  be  within. 
Who  would  have  suspected  such  strength  of  passion 
in  the  meek  Moses  as  he  discovered  at  the  waters  of 
strife,  and  for  which  he  was  kept  out  of  Canaan  ? 
Psal.  cvi.  32,  33.  Num.  xx.  13.  So  much  bitterness 
of  spirit  in  the  patient  Job,  as  to  charge  God  with 
becoming  cruel  to  him?  Job  xxx.  21.  So  much 
ill-nature  in  the  good  Jeremiah,  as  to  curse  not  only 
the  day  of  his  birth,  but  even  the  man  who  brought 
tidings  of  it  to  his  father?  Jer.  xx.  14,  15.  Or, 
such  a  tang  of  atheism  in  Asaph,  as  to  pronounce 
religion  a  vain  thing?  Psalm  Ixxiii.  13.  But  the 
crook  in  the  lot,  bringing  out  these  things,  showed 
them  to  have  been  within,  how  long  soever  they  had 
lurked  unobserved.  And  as  this  design,  however 
indecently  proud  scoffers  allow  themselves  to  treat 
it,  is  in  no  way  inconsistent  with  the  divine  perfec- 
6* 


48  THE  EXERCISE  OF  GRACE. 

tions ;  so  the  discovery  itself  is  necessary  for  the  due 
humiliation  of  sinners,  and  to  stain  the  pride  of  all 
glory,  that  men  may  know  themselves.  Both  which 
appear,  in  that  it  was  on  this  very  design  that  God 
made  the  long-continued  crook  in  Israel's  lot  in  the 
wilderness  ;  even  to  humble  them  and  prove  them, 
to  know  what  was  in  their  heart.     Deut.  viii.  2. 

Seventhly,  The  exercise  of  grace  in  the  children  of 
God.  Believers,  through  the  remains  of  indweiUng 
corruption,  are  liable  to  fits  of  spiritual  laziness  and 
inactivity,  in  which  their  graces  lie  dormant  for  the 
time.  Besides,  there  are  some  graces,  which  of 
their  own  nature  are  but  occasional  in  their  exercise; 
as  being  exercised  only  upon  occasion  of  certain 
things  which  they  have  a  necessary  relation  to : 
such  as  patience  and  long-suffering.  Now,  the  crook 
in  the  lot  serves  to  rouse  up  a  Christian  to  the 
exercise  of  the  graces,  overpowered  by  corruption, 
and  withal  to  call  forth  to  action  the  occasional 
graces,  ministering  proper  occasions  for  them.  The 
truth  is,  the  crook  in  the  lot  is  the  great  engine  of 
Providence  for  making  men  appear  in  their  true 
colours,  discovering  both  their  ill  and  their  good ; 
and  if  the  grace  of  God  be  in  them,  it  will  bring  it 
out,  and  cause  it  to  display  itself.  It  so  puts  the 
Christian  to  his  shifts,  that  however  it  makes  him 
stagger  for  awhile,  yet  it  will  at  length  evidence 
both  the  reality  and  the  strength  of  grace  in  him. 
"  Ye  are  in  heaviness  through  manifold  temptations, 
that  the  trial  of  your  faith,  being  much  more  pre- 
cious than  of  gold  that  perisheth,  may  be  found 
unto  praise."  1  Pet.  i.  6,  7.  The  crook  in  the  lot 
gives  rise  to  many  acts  of  faith,  hope,  love,  self- 
denial,  resignation,  and  other  graces ;  to  many  hea- 
venly breathings,  pantings,  and  groanings,  which 
otherwise  would  not  be  brought  forth.     And  I  make 


THE  EXERCISE  OF  GUACE.  49 

no  question  but  these  tilings,  however  by  carnal  men 
despised  as  trifling,  are  more  precious  in  the  sight 
of  God  tlian  even  believers  themselves  are  aware  of, 
being  acts  of  immediate  internal  worship ;  and  will 
have  a  surprising  notice  taken  of  them,  and  of  the 
sum  of  them,  at  long  run,  howbeit  the  persons 
themselves  often  can  hardly  tliink  them  worth  their 
own  notice  at  all.  The  steady  acting  of  a  gallant 
army  of  horse  and  foot  to  the  routing  of  the  enemy, 
is  highly  prized ;  but  the  acting  of  holy  fear  and 
humble  hope,  is  in  reality  far  more  valuable,  as  be- 
ing so  in  the  sight  of  God,  whose  judgment,  we 
are  sure,  is  according  to  truth.  This  the  Psalmist 
teacheth.  Psal.  cxlvii.  10,  11.  "  He  delighteth  not 
in  the  strength  of  the  horse ;  he  taketh  not  pleasure 
in  the  legs  of  a  man.  The  Lord  taketh  pleasure  in 
them  that  fear  him,  in  those  that  hope  in  iiis  mercy." 
And  indeed  the  exercise  of  the  graces  of  his  Spirit 
in  his  people,  is  so  very  precious  in  his  sight,  that 
whatever  grace  any  of  them  excel  in,  they  will 
readily  get  such  a  crook  made  in  their  lot  as  will  be 
a  special  trial  of  it,  that  will  make  a  proof  of  its  full 
strength.  Abraham  excelled  in  the  grace  of  faith, 
in  trusting  God's  bare  word  of  promise  above  the 
dictates  of  sense :  and  God,  giving  him  a  promise, 
that  he  would  make  of  him  a  great  nation,  made 
withal  a  crook  in  his  lot,  by  which  he  had  enough 
ado  v/ith  all  the  strength  of  his  faith  ;  while  he  was 
obliged  to  leave  his  country  and  kindred,  and  so- 
journ among  the  Canaanites ;  his  wife  continuing 
barren,  till  past  the  age  of  child-bearing :  and  when 
she  had  at  length  brought  forth  Isaac,  and  he  was 
grown  up,  he  was  called  to  offer  him  up  for  a  burnt- 
oflfering,  the  more  exquisite  trial  of  his  faith,  that 
Ishmacl  was  now  expelled  his  family,  and  that  it 
was  declared,  That  in  Isaac  only  his  seed  should  be 


50  THE  DOCTRINE  APPLIED. 

called.  Gen.  xxi.  12.  ♦'  Moses  was  very  meek  above 
all  the  men  which  were  upon  the  face  of  the  earth." 
Numb.  xii.  3.  And  he  was  intrusted  with  the  con- 
duct of  a  most  perverse  and  unmanageable  people, 
the  crook  in  his  lot  plainly  designed  for  the  exercise 
of  his  meekness.  Job  excelled  in  patience,  and  by 
the  crook  in  his  lot,  he  got  as  much  to  do  with  it. 
For  God  gives  none  of  his  people  to  excel  in  a  gift, 
but  some  time  or  other  he  will  afford  them  use  for  the 
whole  compass  of  it. 

Now,  the  use  of  this  doctrine  is  threefold.  (I.) 
For  reproof.  (2.)  For  consolation.  And  (3.)  For 
exhortation. 

Use  1.  For  reproof.  And  it  meets  with  three 
sorts  of  persons  as  reprovable. 

First,  The  carnal  and  earthly,  who  do  not  with 
awe  and  reverence  regard  the  crook  in  their  lot  as 
of  God's  making.  There  is  certainly  a  signature  of 
the  divine  hand  upon  it  to  be  perceived  by  just  ob- 
servers;  and  that  challengeth  an  awful  regard,  the 
neglect  of  which  forebodes  destruction,  Psal.  xxviii. 
5.  "  Because  they  regard  not  the  works  of  the  Lord, 
nor  the  operation  of  his  hands,  he  shall  destroy 
them,  and  not  build  them  up."  And  herein  they  are 
deeply  guilty,  who,  poring  upon  second  causes,  and 
looking  no  further  than  the  unhappy  instruments  of 
the  crook  in  their  lot,  overlook  the  first  cause,  as 
a  dog  snarls  at  the  stone,  but  looks  not  to  the  hand 
that  easts  it.  This  is,  in  effect,  to  make  a  God  of 
the  creature ;  so  regarding  it,  as  if  it  could  of  itself 
effect  any  thing,  while  in  the  mean  time,  it  is  but  an 
instrument  in  the  hand  of  God,  '*  the  rod  of  his 
anger."  Isa.  x.  5.  "  Ordained  of  him  for  judgment, 
established  for  correction."  Hab.  i.  12.  O !  why 
should  men  terminate  their  view  on  the  instruments 
of  the  crook  in  their  lot,   and  so  magnify  their 


FOR  REPROOF.  51 

scourges?  The  truth  is,  they  are,  for  the  most  part, 
rather  to  be  pitied,  as  having  an  undesirable  office, 
whichfor  their  gratifying  their  own  corrupt  alTections, 
in  making  the  crook  in  the  lot  of  others,  returns  on 
their  own  head  at  length  with  a  vengeance,  as  did 
"  the  blood  of  Jezreel  on  the  house  of  Jehu."  Hos. 
i.  4.  And  it  is  specially  undesirable  to  be  so  em- 
ployed in  the  case  of  such  as  belong  to  God ;  for 
rarely  is  the  ground  of  the  quarrel  the  same  on  the 
part  of  the  instrument  as  on  God's  part,  but  very 
different ;  witness  Shimei's  cursing  David,  as  a 
bloody  man,  meaning  the  blood  of  the  house  of  Saul, 
which  he  was  not  guilty  of,  while  God  meant  it  of 
the  blood  of  Uriah,  which  he  could  not  deny.  2  Sam. 
xvi.  7,  8.  Moreover,  the  quarrel  will  be,  at  length, 
taken  up  between  God  and  his  people;  and  then 
their  scourgers  will  find  they  had  but  a  thank- 
less office,  Zech.  i.  15.  *'  I  was  but  a  little  dis- 
pleased, and  they  helped  forward  the  affliction," 
saith  God,  in  resentment  of  the  heathen  crooking  the 
lot  of  his  people.  In  like  manner  are  they  guilty, 
who  impute  the  crook  in  their  lot  to  fortune,  or  their 
ill-luck,  which  in  very  deed  is  nothing  but  a  creature 
of  imagination,  framed  for  a  blind  to  keep  man  from 
acknowledging  the  hand  of  God.  Thus,  what  the 
Philistines  doubted,  they  do  more  impiously  deter- 
mine, saying,  in  effect,  "  It  is  not  his  hand  that  smote 
us,  it  was  a  chance  that  happened  to  us."  1  Sam. 
vi.  9.  And,  finally,  those  also  are  guilty,  who,  in 
the  way  of  giving  up  themselves  to  carnal  mirth  and 
sensuality,  set  themselves  to  despise  the  crook  in 
their  lot,  to  make  nothing  of  it,  and  to  forget  it. 
I  question  not,  but  orte  committing  his  case  to  the 
Lord,  and  looking  to  him  for  remedy  in  the  first 
place,  may  lawfully  call  in  the  moderate  use  of  the 
comforts  of  life,  for  lielp  in  the  second  place.     But 


52  FOR  REPROOF. 

as  for  that  course  so  frequent  and  usual  in  this  case 
among  carnal  men,  if  the  crook  of  the  lot  really  be, 
as  indeed  it  is,  of  God's  makin^r,  it  must  needs  be  a 
most  indecent  unbecoming  course,  to  be  abhorred  of 
all  good  men,  Prov.  iii.  11.  "  My  son,  despise  not 
the  chastening  of  the  TiOrd."  It  is  surely  a  very 
desperate  method  of  cure,  which  cannot  miss  of 
issuing  in  something  worse  than  the  disease,  how- 
ever it  may  palliate  it  for  a  while,  Isa.  xxii.  12 — 14. 
*'  In  that  day  did  the  Lord  God  of  hosts  call  to  weep- 
ing and  to  mourning,  and  behold  joy  and  gladness, 
eating  flesh  and  drinking  wine  :  and  it  was  revealed 
in  mine  ears,  by  the  Lord  of  hosts.  Surely  this 
iniquity  shall  not  be  purged  from  you  till  ye  die." 

Secondly,  The  unsubmissive,  w'hose  hearts,  like 
the  troubled  sea,  swell  and  boil,  fret  and  murmur, 
and  cannot  be  at  rest  under  the  crook  in  their  lot. 
This  is  a  most  sinful  and  dangerous  course.  The 
apostle  Jude,  characterising  some,  "  to  whom  is  re- 
served the  blackness  of  darkness  for  ever,"  ver.  L3. 
saith  of  them,  ver.  16.  "  These  are  murrnurers, 
complainers,"  namely,  still  complaining  of  their  lot, 
which  is  the  import  of  the  word  there  used  by  the 
Holy  Ghost.  For,  since  the  crook  in  their  lot,  which 
their  unsubdued  spirits  can  by  no  means  submit  to, 
is  of  God's  making,  this  their  practice  must  needs 
be  a  fighting  against  God  :  and  these  their  com- 
plainings and  murmurings  are  indeed  against  him, 
whatever  face  they  put  upon  them.  Thus  when  the 
Israelites  murmur  against  Moses,  Numb,  xiv.  2. 
God  charges  them  with  murmuring  against  himself. 
*'  How  long  shall  I  bear  with  this  evil  congrega- 
tion, which  murmured  against  me?"  ver.  27.  Ah! 
may  not  he  who  made  and  fashioned  us  without  our 
advice,  be  allowed  to  make  our  lot  too,  without  ask- 
ing our  mind,  but  we  must  rise  up  against  him  on 


FOR  CONSOLATION.  53 

account  of  the  crook  made  in  it?  What  doih  this 
speak,  but  that  the  proud  creature  cannot  endure 
God's  work,  nor  bear  what  he  hath  done?  And  how 
black  and  dangerous  is  that  temper  of  spirit !  How 
is  it  possible  to  miss  of  being  broken  to  pieces  in 
such  a  course?  "  He  is  wise  in  heart,  and  mighty 
in  strength:  who  hath  hardened  himself  against  him, 
and  hath  prospered  ?"     Job.  ix.  4. 

Thirdly,  The  careless  and  unfruitful,  who  do  not 
set  themselves  dutifully  to  comply  with  the  design 
of  the  crook  in  their  lot.  God  and  nature  do  no- 
thing in  vain.  Since  he  makes  the  crook,  there  is, 
doubtless,  a  becoming  design  in  it,  which  we  are 
obliged  in  duty  to  fall  in  with,  according  to  that, 
Micah  vi.  9.  "  Hear  ye  the  rod."  And,  indeed,  if 
one  shut  not  his  own  eyes,  but  be  willing  to  under- 
stand, he  may  easily  perceive  the  general  design 
thereof  to  be,  to  wean  him  from  this  world,  and 
move  him  to  seek  and  take  up  his  heart's  rest  in 
God.  And  nature  and  the  circumstances  of  the 
crook  itself  being  duly  considered,  it  will  not  be 
very  hard  to  make  a  more  particular  discovery  of 
the  design  thereof.  But,  alas  !  the  careless  sinner, 
sunk  in  spiritual  sloth  and  stupidity,  is  in  no  con- 
cern to  discover  the  design  of  Providence  in  the 
crook ;  so  he  cannot  fall  in  with  it,  but  remains  un- 
fruitful ;  and  all  the  pains  taken  on  him,  by  the  great 
Husbandman,  in  the  dispensation,  are  lost.  '♦  They 
cry  out  by  reason  of  the  arm  of  the  mighty  ;"  groan- 
ing under  the  pressure  of  the  crook  itself,  and 
weight  of  the  hand  of  the  instrument  thereof:  "  But 
none  sailh,  Where  is  God  my  Maker?''  they  look 
not,  ihey  turn  not  unto  God  for  all  that.  Job  xxxv. 
9,  10. 

Use  2.  For  consolation.  It  speaks  comfort  to 
the  atHicted  children  of  God,    Whatever  is  the  crook 


54  FOR  EXHORTATION. 

in  your  lot,  it  is  of  God's  makinj^,  and  therefore 
you  may  look  upon  it  kindly.  Since  it  is  your 
Father  has  made  it  for  you,  question  not  but  there  is 
a'favourable  design  in  it  towards  you.  A  discreet 
child  welcomes  his  father's  rod,  knowing  that  being 
a  father,  he  seeks  his  benefit  thereby ;  and  shall  not 
God's  children  welcome  the  crook  in  their  lot,  as 
designed  by  their  Father,  who  cannot  mistake  his 
measures,  to  work  for  their  good,  according  to  the 
promise  ?  The  truth  is,  the  crook  in  the  lot  of  a 
believer,  how  painful  soever  it  proves,  is  a  part  of 
the  discipline  of  the  covenant,  the  nurture  secured 
to  Christ's  children,  by  the  promise  of  the  Father, 
Psalm  Ixxxix.  30,  32.  "  If  his  children  forsake  my 
law,  and  walk  not  in  my  judgments,  then  will  I 
visit  their  transgressions  with  the  rod."  Further- 
more, all  who  are  disposed  to  betake  themselves  to 
God  under  the  crook  in  their  lot,  may  take  comfort 
in  this,  let  them  know  that  there  is  no  crook  in  their 
lot  but  may  be  made  straight;  for  God  made  it, 
surely  then  he  can  mend  it.  He  himself  can  make 
straight  what  he  hath  made  crooked,  though  none 
other  can.  There  is  nothing  too  hard  for  him  to 
do :  "  He  raiselh  up  the  poor  out  of  the  dust,  and 
lifteth  the  needy  out  of  the  dunghill ;  that  he  may 
set  him  with  princes.  He  maketh  the  barren  wo- 
man to  keep  house,  and  to  be  a  joyful  mother  of 
children."  Psalm  cxiii.  7 — 9.  Say  not  that  your 
crook  hath  been  of  so  long  continuance,  that  it  will 
never  mend.  Put  it  in  the  hand  of  God,  who  made 
it,  that  he  may  mend  it,  and  wait  on  him  :  and  if  it 
be  for  your  good,  that  it  should  be  mended,  it  shall 
be  mended ;  for  "  no  good  thing  will  he  withhold 
from  them  that  walk  uprightly."     Psa.  Ixxxiv.  11. 

Use  last.  For  exhortation.     Since  the  crook  in  the 
lot  is  of  God's  making,  then,  eyeing  the  hand  of 


OBJECTIONS  ANSWERED.  55 

God  in  yours,  be  reconciled  to  it,  and  submit  under 
it  whatever  it  is  ;  T  say,  eyeing  the  hand  of  God  iv  it, 
for  otherwise  your  submission  under  the  crook  in 
your  lot  cannot  be  a  Christian  submission,  acceptable 
to  God,  having  no  reference  to  him  as  your  party  in 
the  matter. 

Object.  I.  But  some  will  say,  "  The  crook  in  my 
lot  is  from  the  hand  of  the  creature ;  and  such  a  one 
too  as  I  deserved  no  such  treatment  from." 

Ans.  From  what  hath  been  already  said,  it  ap- 
pears that,  although  the  crook  in  thy  lot  be  indeed 
immediately  from  the  creature's  hand,  yet  it  is  me- 
diately from  the  hand  of  God ;  there  being  nothing 
of  that  kind,  no  penal  evil,  but  the  Lord  hath  done 
it.  Therefore,  without  all  peradventure,  God  him- 
self is  the  principal  party,  whoever  be  the  less  prin- 
cipal. And  albeit  thou  hast  not  deserved  thy  crook 
at  the  hand  of  the  instrument  which  he  makes  use  of 
for  thy  correction,  thou  certainly  deservest  it  at  his 
hand ;  and  he  may  make  use  of  what  instrument  he 
will  in  the  matter,  or  may  do  it  immediately  by  him- 
self, even  as  seems  good  in  his  sight. 

Object.  II.  "  But  the  crook  in  my  lot  might 
quickly  be  evened,  if  the  instrument  or  instruments 
thereof  pleased ;  only  there  is  no  dealing  with 
them,  so  as  to  convince  them  of  their  fault  in  mak- 
ing it." 

Ans.  If  it  is  so,  be  sure  God's  time  is  not  as  yet 
come,  that  the  crook  should  be  made  even  ;  for,  if  it 
were  come,  though  they  stand  now  like  an  impreg- 
nable fort,  they  would  give  way  like  a  sandy  bank 
under  one's  feet :  they  should  bow  down  to  thee  with 
their  face  toward  the  earth,  and  lick  up  the  dust  of 
thy  feet."  Isa.  xlix.  23.  Meanwhile,  that  state  of 
the  matter  is  so  far  from  justifying  one's  not  eyeing 
the  hand  of  God  ijii  the  crook  in  the  lot,  that  it  makes 
7 


56  OBJECTIONS  ANSWERED. 

a  piece  of  trial  in  which  his  hand  very  eminently  ap- 
pears, namely,  that  men  should  be  signally  injurious 
and  burdensome  to  others,  yet  by  no  means  suscep- 
tible of  conviction.  This  was  the  trial  of  the  church 
from  her  adversaries,  Jer.  1.  7.  "  All  that  found 
them  have  devoured  them ;  and  their  adversaries 
said.  We  offend  not:  because  they  have  sinned 
against  the  Lord,  the  habitation  of  justice."  They 
were  very  abusive,  and  gave  her  barbarous  usage ; 
yet  would  they  own  no  fault  in  the  matter.  How 
could  they  ward  off  the  conviction?  Were  they 
verily  blameless  in  their  devouring  the  Lord's  stray- 
ing sheep  ?  No,  surely,  they  were  not.  Did  they 
look  upon  themselves  as  ministers  of  the  divine  jus- 
tice against  her?     No,  they  did  not. 

Some  indeed  would  make  a  question  here,  How 
the  adversaries  of  the  church  could  celebrate  her 
God  as  the  habitation  of  justice  ?  But  the  original 
pointing  of  the  text  being  retained,  it  appears,  that 
there  is  no  ground  at  all  for  this  question  here,  and 
withal  the  whole  matter  is  set  in  a  clear  light.  "  All 
that  found  them  have  devoured  them ;  and  their  ad- 
versaries said,  We  offend  not;  because  they  have 
sinned  against  the  Lord,  the  habitation  of  justice." 
These  last  are  not  the  words  of  the  adversaries,  but 
the  words  of  the  prophet  showing  how  it  came  to 
pass  that  the  adversaries  devoured  the  Lord's  sheep, 
as  they  lighted  on  them,  and  withal  stood  to  the  de- 
fence of  it,  when  they  had  done,  far  from  acknow- 
ledging any  wrong :  the  matter  lay  here,  the  sheep 
had  sinned  against  the  Lord,  the  habitation  of  jus- 
tice ;  and  as  a  just  punishment  hereof  from  his  hand, 
they  could  have  no  justice  at  the  hand  of  their  ad- 
versaries. 

Wherefore,  laying  aside  tliese  frivolous  pretences, 
and  eyeing  the  hand  of  God,  as  that  which  hath 


SUBMISSION  ENFORCED.  57 

bowed  your  lot  in  that  part,  and  keeps  it  in  the  bow, 
be  reconciled  to,  and  submit  under  the  crook,  what- 
ever it  is,  saying  from  the  heart,  "  Truly  this  is  a 
grief,  and  I  must  bear  it."  Jer.  x.  19.  And  to  move 
you  hereunto,  consider, 

1.  It  is  a  duty  you  owe  to  God,  as  your  sovereign 
Lord  and  Benefactor.  His  sovereignty  challenges 
our  submission ;  and  it  can  in  no  case  be  meanness 
of  spirit  to  submit  to  the  crook  which  his  hand  hath 
made  in  our  lot,  and  to  go  quietly  under  the  yoke 
that  he  hath  laid  on ;  but  it  is  really  madness  for  the 
potsherds  of  the  earth,  by  their  turbulent  and  refrac- 
tory carriage  under  it,  to  strive  with  their  Maker. 
And  his  beneficence  to  us,  ill-deserving  creatures, 
may  well  stop  our  mouth  from  complaining  of  his 
making  a  crook  in  our  lot,  who  would  have  done  us 
no  wrong  had  he  made  the  whole  of  it  crooked : 
*'  Shall  we  receive  good  at  the  hand  of  God,  and 
shall  we  not  receive  evil?"  Job  ii.  10. 

2.  It  is  an  unalterable  statute,  for  the  time  of  this 
life,  that  nobody  shall  want  a  crook  in  their  lot ;  for 
"  man  is  born  unto  trouble  as  the  sparks  fly  upward." 
Job  V.  7.  And  those  who  are  designed  for  heaven, 
are  in  a  special  manner  assured  of  a  crook  in  theirs, 
*'  that  in  the  world  they  shall  have  tribulation,"  John 
xvi.  33  ;  for  by  means  thereof  the  Lord  makes  them 
meet  for  heaven.  And  how  can  you  imagine  that 
you  shall  be  exempted  from  the  common  lot  of  man- 
kind ?  "  Shall  the  rock  be  removed  out  of  his 
place  for  thee  ?"  And  since  God  makes  the  crooks 
in  men's  lot  according  to  the  different  exigence  of 
their  cases,  you  may  be  sure  that  yours  is  necessary 
for  you. 

3.  A  crook  in  the  lot,  which  one  can  by  no  means 
submit  to,  makes  a  condition  of  all  things  the  likest 
to   that  in   hell.      For   there    a    yoke,    which    the 


68  SUBMISSION   ENFORCED. 

wretched  sufferers  can  neither  bear  nor  shake  off,  is 
wreathed  about  their  necks  ;  there  the  Almighty  arm 
draws  against  them,  and  they  against  it;  there  they 
are  ever  suffering  and  ever  sinning ;  still  in  the  fur- 
nace, but  their  dross  not  consumed,  nor  they  puri- 
fied. Even  such  is  the  case  of  those  who  now  can- 
not submit  to  the  crook  in  their  lot. 

4.  Great  is  the  loss  by  not  submitting  to  it.  The 
crook  in  the  lot,  rightly  improved,  has  turned  to  the 
best  account,  and  made  the  best  time  to  some  that 
ever  they  had  all  their  life  long,  as  the  Psalmist 
from  his  own  experience  testifies,  Psal.  cxix.  67. 
"  Before  I  was  afflicted  I  went  astray  ;  but  now  have 
I  kept  thy  word."  There  are  many  now  in  heaven, 
who  are  blessing  God  for  the  crook  they  had  in  their 
lot  here.  What  a  sad  thing  must  it  then  be  to  lose 
this  teeth-wind  for  Immanuel's  land !  But  if  the 
crook  in  thy  lot  do  thee  no  good,  be  sure  it  will  not 
miss  of  doing  thee  great  damage ;  it  will  greatly 
increase  thy  guilt  and  aggravate  thy  condemnation, 
while  it  shall  for  ever  cut  thee  to  the  heart,  to  think 
of  the  pains  taken  by  means  -of  the  crook  in  the  lot, 
to  wean  thee  from  the  world,  and  bring  thee  to  God, 
but  all  in  vain.  Take  heed,  therefore,  how  you  man- 
age it,  "  Lest — thou  mourn  at  the  last- — and  say,  How 
have  I  hated  instruction,  and  my  heart  despised  re- 
proof!" Prov.  V.  10—12. 

Prop.  II.  What  God  sees  meet  to  mar,  we  shall  not 
be  able  to  mend  in  our  lot.  What  crook  God 
makes  in  our  lot,  we  shall  not  be  able  to  even. — 
We  shall, 

L  Show  God's  marrincr  and  makinf^  a  crook  in 
one's  lot,  as  he  sees  meet. 


GOD  S  HAND  TO  BE  ACKNOWLEDGED.  59 

II.  We  shall  consider  men's  attempting  to  mend 
or  even  that  crook  in  their  I5t. 

III.  In  what  sense  it  is  to  be  understood,  that  we 
shall  not  be  able  to  mend,  or  even  the  crook  in  our 
lot. 

IV.  Render  some  reasons  of  the  point. 

I.  As  to  the  first  head,  namely,  to  show  God's 
marring  and  making  a  crook  in  one's  lot,  as  he  sees 
meet. 

First,  God  keeps  the  choice  of  every  one's  crook 
to  himself;  and  therein  he  exerts  his  sovereignty, 
Math.  XX.  15.  It  is  not  left  to  our  option  what  that 
crook  shall  be,  or  what  our  peculiar  burden ;  but,  as 
the  potter  makes  of  the  same  clay  one  vessel  for  one 
use,  another  for  another  use ;  so  God  makes  one 
crook  for  one,  another  for  another,  according  to  his 
own  will  and  pleasure,  Psal.  cxxxv.  6.  "  Whatso- 
ever the  Lord  pleased,  that  did  he,  in  heaven  and  in 
earth,"  &c. 

Secondly,  He  sees  and  observes  the  bias  of  every 
one's  will  and  inclination,  how  it  lies,  and  wherein  it 
especially  bends  away  from  himself,  and  consequently 
wherein  it  needs  the  special  bow ;  so  he  did  in  that 
man's  case,  Mark  x.  21.  "One  thing  thou  lackest; 
go  thy  way,  sell  whatsoever  thou  hast,  and  give  to 
the  poor,"  &c.  Observe  the  bent  of  his  heart  to  his 
great  possessions.  He  takes  notice  what  is  that  idol 
that  in  every  one's  case  is  most  apt  to  be  his  rival, 
that  so  he  may  suit  the  trial  to  the  case,  making  the 
crook  there. 

Thirdly,  By  the  conduct  of  his  providence,  or  a 
touch  of  his  hand,  he  gives  that  part  of  one's  lot  a 
bow  the  contrary  ^vay  ;  so  that  henceforth  it  lies 
quite  contrary  to  the  bias  of  the  party's  will,  Ezek. 
xxiv.  25.  And  here  the  trial  is  made,  the  bent  of 
7* 


60       OUR  WILL  OFTEN  OPPOSED  TO  HIS  WILL. 

the  will  lying  one  way,  and  that  part  of  one's  lot  ano- 
ther, that  it  does  not  *swer  the  inclination  of  the 
party,  but  thwarts  it. 

Fourthly.  He  wills  that  crook  in  the  lot  to  remain 
while  he  sees  meet,  for  a  longer  or  shorter  time,  just 
according  to  the  holy  ends  he  designs  it  for,  2  Sam. 
xii.  10.  Hos.  V.  15.  By  that  will  it  is  so  fixed,  that 
the  whole  creation  cannot  alter  it,  or  put  it  out  of  the 
bow. 

II.  We  shall  consider  men's  attempting  to  mend 
or  even  that  crook  in  their  lot.  This,  in  a  word,  lies 
in  their  making  efforts  to  bring  their  lot  in  that  point 
to  their  own  will,  that  they  may  both  go  one  way; 
so  it  imports  three  things  : 

First.  A  certain  uneasiness  under  the  crook  in  the 
lot ;  it  is  a  yoke  which  is  hard  for  the  party  to  bear, 
till  his  spirit  be  tamed  and  subdued,  Jer.  xxxi.  18. 
*'  Thou  hast  chastised  ms,  and  I  was  chastised,  as  a 
bullock  unaccustomed  to  the  yoke ;  turn  thou  me, 
and  I  shall  be  turned,"  &c.  And  it  is  for  the  break- 
ing down  of  the  weight  of  one's  spirit  that  God  lays 
it  on :  for  which  cause  it  is  declared  to  be  a  good 
thing  to  bear  it.  Lam.  iii.  27,  that  being  the  way  to 
make  one  at  length  as  a  weaned  child. 

Secondly.  A  strong  desire  to  have  the  cross  re- 
moved, and  to  have  matters  in  that  part  going  ac- 
cording to  our  inclinations.  This  is  very  natural, 
nature  desiring  to  be  freed  from  every  thing  that  is 
burdensome  or  cross  to  it ;  and  if  that  desire  be  kept 
in  a  due  subordination  to  the  will  of  God,  and  it  be 
not  too  peremptory,  it  is  not  sinful.  Matt.  xxvi.  39. 
"  If  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from  me  ;  never- 
theless, not  as  I  will,"  &c.  Hence  so  many  accepted 
prayers  of  the  people  of  God,  for  the  removal  of  the 
crook  in  their  lot. 

Thirdly.  An  earnest  use  of  means  for  that  end. 


SUCH  OPPOSITION  VAIN  AND  FRUITLESS.  CI 

This  naturally  follows  on  that  desire.  The  man  be- 
ing- pressed  with  the  cross,  which  is  in  his  crook,  la- 
bours all  he  can  in  the  use  of  means  to  be  rid  of  it. 
And  if  the  means  used  be  lawful,  and  not  relied  upon, 
but  followed  with  an  eye  to  God  in  them,  the  attempt 
is  not  sinful,  whether  he  succeed  in  the  use  of  them 
or  not. 

in.  In  what  sense  it  is  to  be  understood,  that  we 
shall  not  be  able  to  mend  or  even  the  crook  in  our 
lot. 

It  is  not  to  be  understood,  as  if  the  case  were 
absolutely  hopeless,  and  that  there  is  no  remedy  for 
the  crook  in  the  lot.  For  there  is  no  case  so  des- 
perate, but  G«d  may  right  it.  Gen.  xviii.  14.  "Is 
any  thing  too  hard  for  the  Lord  ?"  When  the  crook 
has  continued  long,  and  spurned  all  remedies  one 
has  used  for  it,  one  is  ready  to  lose  hope  about  it ; 
but  many  a  crook,  given  over  for  hopeless  that  would 
never  mend,  God  has  made  perfectly  straight,  as  in 
Job's  case. 

But  we  shall  never  be  able  to  mend  it  by  our- 
selves ;  if  the  Lord  himself  take  it  not  in  hand  to  re- 
move it,  it  will  stand  before  us  immovable,  like  a 
mountain  of  brass,  though  perhaps  it  may  be  in  itself 
a  thing  that  might  easily  be  removed.  We  take  it  up 
in  these  three  things  : 

1.  It  will  never  do  by  the  mere  force  of  our  hand. 
1  Sam.  ii.  9. — "  For,  by  strength  shall  no  man  pre- 
vail." The  most  vigorous  endeavours  we  can  use 
will  not  even  the  crook,  if  God  give  it  not  a  touch  of 
his  hand  ;  so  that  all  endeavours  that  way,  without 
an  eye  to  God,  are  vain  and  fruitless,  and  will  be  but 
ploughing  on  the  rock.  Psalm  cxxvii.  1,  2. 

2.  The  use  of  all  allowable  means  for  it,  will  be 
successless  unless  the  Lord  bless  them  for  that  end, 
Lam.  iii.  37.    "  Who  is  he  that  saith,  and  it  cometh 


62  REASONS  ASSIGNED  FOR  THIS. 

to  pass,  when  the  Lord  commandeth  it  not?"  As 
one  may  eat  and  not  be  satisfied,  so  one  may  use 
means  proper  for  evening  the  crook  in  his  lot,  and 
yet  prevail  nothing ;  for  nothing  can  be  or  do  for  us 
any  more  than  God  makes  it  to  be  or  do,  Eccl.  ix. 
11.  "  The  race  is  not  to  the  swift,  nor  the  battle  to 
the  strong ;  neither  yet  bread  to  the  wise,  nor  yet 
riches  to  men  of  understanding,"  &:c. 

3.  It  will  never  do  in  our  time,  but  in  God's  time, 
which  seldom  is  so  early  as  ours,  John  vii.  6.  "  My 
time  is  not  yet  come,  but  your  time  is  always  ready." 
Hence  that  crook  remains  sometimes  immovable,  as 
if  it  were  kept  by  an  invisible  hand  ;  and  at  another 
time  it  goes  away  with  a  touch,  becainse  God's  time 
is  come  for  evening  it. 

IV.   We  shall  now  assign  the  reasons  of  the  point. 

1st.  Because  of  the  absolute  dependence  we  have 
upon  God.  Acts  xvii.  28.  As  the  light  depends  on 
the  sun,  or  the  shadow  on  the  body,  so  we  depend  on 
God,  and  without  him  can  do  nothing,  great  or  small. 
And  God  will  have  us  to  find  it  so,  to  teach  us  our 
dependence. 

2dly.  Because  his  will  is  irresistible,  Isa.  xlvi.  10. 
"  My  counsel  shall  stand,  and  I  will  do  all  my  plea- 
sure." When  God  wills  one  thing,  and  the  creature 
the  contrary,  it  is  easy  to  see  which  will  must  be 
done.  When  the  omnipotent  arm  holds,  in  vain 
does  the  creature  draw.  Job  ix.  4.  *'  Who  hath 
hardened  himself  against  him  and  prospered?" 

Inference  1 .  There  is  a  necessity  of  yielding  and 
submitting  to  the  crook  in  our  lot ;  for  we  may  as 
well  think  to  remove  the  rocks  and  mountains,  which 
God  has  settled,  as  to  make  that  part  of  our  lot 
straight  which  he  hath  made  crooked. 

2.  The  evening  of  the  crook  in  our  lot,  by  main 
force  of  our  own,  is  but  a  cheat  we  put  on  ourselves, 


MOTIVES  TO  INDUCE  SUBMISSION.  63 

and  will  not  last,  but,  like  a  stick  by  main  force 
made  straight,  it  will  quickly  return  to  the  bow 
again. 

3.  The  only  effectual  way  of  getting  the  crook 
evened,  is  to  apply  to  God  for  it. 

Exhortation  1.  Let  us  then  apply  to  God  for  re- 
moving any  crook  in  our  lot,  that  in  the  settled  or- 
der of  things  may  be  removed.  Men  cannot  cease 
to  desire  the  removal  of  a  crook,  more  than  that  of  a 
thorn  in  the  flesh  :  but,  since  we  are  not  able  to  mend 
what  God  sees  meet  to  mar,  it  is  evident  we  are  to 
apply  to  him  that  made  it  to  amend  it,  and  not  take 
the  evening  of  it  in  our  own  hand. 

Motive  1.  All  our  attempts  for  its  removal  will, 
without  him,  be  vain  and  fruitless.  Psal.  cxxvii.  1. 
Let  us  be  as  resolute  as  we  will  to  have  it  evened,  if 
God  say  it  not,  we  will  labour  in  vain.  Lam.  iii.  37. 
Howsoever  fair  the  means  we  use  bid  for  it,  they 
will  be  ineflfectual  if  he  command  not  the  blessing. 
Eccl.  ix.  11. 

2.  Such  attempts  will  readily  make  it  worse.  No- 
thing is  more  ordinary,  than  for  a  proud  spirit  striving 
with  the  crook,  to  make  it  more  crooked,  Eccl.  x.  8, 
9.  *'  Whoso  breaketh  a  hedge,  a  serpent  shall  bite 
him.  Whoso  removeth  stones,  shall  be  hurt  there- 
with," &c.  This  is  evident  in  the  case  of  the  mur- 
murers  in  the  wilderness.  It  naturally  comes  to  be 
so ;  because,  at  that  rate,  the  will  of  the  party  bends 
farther  away  from  it :  and,  moreover,  God  is  pro- 
voked to  wreath  the  yoke  faster  about  one's  neck, 
that  he  will  by  no  means  let  it  sit  easy  on  him. 

3.  There  is  no  crook  but  what  may  be  remedied 
by  him,  and  made  perfectly  straight,  Psal.  cxlvi.  8. 
*'  The  Lord  raiseth  them  that  are  bowed  down,"  Sic. 
He  can  perform  that,  concerning  which  there  re- 
mains no  hope  with  us,  Rom.  iv.  17.    "  Who  quick- 


64  MOTIVES  TO  INDUCE  SUBMISSION. 

enelh  the  dead,  and  calleth  those  things  which  be  not 
as  though  they  were  ?"  It  is  his  prerogative  to  do 
wonders  ;  to  begin  a  work,  where  the  whole  creation 
gives  it  over  as  hopeless,  and  carry  it  on  to  perfec- 
tion. Gen.  xviii.  14. 

4.  He  loves  to  be  employed  in  evening  crooks, 
and  calls  us  to  employ  him  that  way,  Psal.  1.  15. 
"  Call  upon  me  in  the  day  of  trouble,  and  I  will 
deliver  thee,"  &c.  He  makes  them  for  that  very 
end,  that  he  may  bring  us  to  him  on  that  errand,  and 
may  manifest  his  power  and  goodness  in  evening  of 
them.  Hos.  v.  15.  The  straits  of  the  children  of 
men  afford  a  large  field  for  displaying  his  glorious 
perfections,  which  otherwise  would  be  wanting. 
Exod.  XV.  11. 

5.  A  crook  thus  evened  is  a  double  mercy.  There 
are  some  crooks  evened  by  a  touch  of  the  hand  of 
common  providence,  while  people  are  either  not  ex- 
ercised about  them,  or  when  they  fret  for  Ntheir  re- 
moval; these  are  sapless  mercies,  and  short-lived. 
Psal.  Ixxviii.  30,  31.  Hos.  xiii.  11.  Fruits  thus  too 
hastily  plucked  off  the  tree  of  providence  can  hardly 
miss  to  set  the  teeth  on  edge,  and  will  certainly  be 
bitter  to  the  gracious  soul.  But  O  the  sweets  of  the 
evening  of  the  crook  by  a  humble  application  to,  and 
waiting  on  the  Lord !  It  has  the  image  and  super- 
scription of  divine  favour  upon  it,  which  makes  it 
bulky  and  valuable.  Gen.  xxxiii.  10.  "  For  therefore 
I  have  seen  thy  face,  as  though  I  had  seen  the  face 
of  God,"  6lc.  chap.  xxi.  6. 

6.  God  has  signalized  his  favour  to  his  dearest 
children,  in  making  and  mending  notable  crooks  in 
their  lot.  His  darling  ones  ordinarily  have  the 
greatest  crooks  made  in  their  lot.  Heb.  xii.  6.  But 
then  they  make  way  for  their  richest  experiences  in 
the  removal  of  them,  upon  their  application  to  him. 


OBJECTIONS  ANSWERED.  G5 

This  is  clear  from  the  case  of  Abraham,  Jacob,  and 
Joseph.  Which  of  the  patriarchs  had  so  great  crooks 
as  they?  but  which  of  them,  on  the  other  hand,  had 
such  signal  tokens  of  the  divine  favour  ?  The  greatest 
of  men,  as  Samson  and  the  Baptist,  have  been  born 
of  women  naturally  barren  ;  so  do  the  greatest  crooks 
issue  in  the  richest  mercies  to  them  that  are  exercised 
thereby. 

7.  It  is  the  shortest  and  surest  way  to  go  straight 
to  God  with  the  crook  in  the  lot.  If  we  would  have 
our  wish  in  that  point,  we  must,  as  the  eagle,  first 
soar  aloft,  and  then  come  down  on  the  prey.  Mark 
V.  36.  Our  faithless  out-of-the-way  attempts  to  even 
the  crook,  are  but  our  fool's  haste,  that  is  no  speed; 
as  in  the  case  of  Abraham's  going  in  to  Hagar.  God 
is  the  first  mover,  who  sets  all  the  wheels  in  motion 
for  evening  the  crook,  which  without  him  will  remain 
immovable.  Hos.  ii.  21,  22. 

Object.  1.  "  But  it  is  needless,  for  I  see,  that 
though  the  crook  in  my  lot  may  mend,  yet  it  never 
will  mend.  In  its  own  nature  it  is  capable  of  being 
removed,  but  it  is  plain  it  is  not  to  be  removed,  it  is 
hopeless." 

Ans.  That  is  the  language  of  unbelieving  haste, 
which  faith  and  patience  should  correct.  Psal.  cxvi. 
11,  12.  Abraham  had  as  much  to  say  for  the  hop'fe- 
lessness  of  his  crook,  but  yet  he  applies  to  God  in 
faith  for  the  mending  of  it.  Rom.  iv.  19,  20.  Sarah 
had  made  such  a  conclusion,  for  which  she  was  re- 
buked. Gen.  xviii.  13,  14.  Nothing  can  make  it 
needless  in  such  a  case  to  apply  to  God. 

Object.  2.  "But  I  have  applied  to  him  again  and 
again  for  it,. yet  it  is  never  mended." 

Ans.  Delays  are  not  denials  of  suits  at  the  court 
of  heaven,  but  trials  of  the  faith  and  patience  of  the 
petitioners.     And  whoso  will  persevere  will  certainly 


bb  HOW  TO  GET  THE  CROOK  REMOVED. 

speed  at  length,  Luke  xviii.  7,  8.  *'  And  shall  not 
God  avenge  his  own  elect,  which  cry  day  and  night 
unto  him,  though  he  bear  long  with  them  ?  I  tell 
you  that  he  will  avenge  them  speedily."  Sometimes 
indeed  folks  grow  pettish,  in  the  case  of  the  crook  in 
the  lot,  and  let  it  drop  out  in  their  prayers,  in  a 
course  of  despondency,  while  yet  it  continues  uneasy 
to  them ;  but,  if  God  mind  to  even  it  in  mercy,  he 
will  oblige  them  to  take  it  in  again,  Ezek.  xxxvi. 
37.  "  I  will  yet,  for  this,  be  inquired  of  by  the  house 
of  Israel,  to  do  it  for  them,"  &c.  If  the  removal 
come,  while  it  is  dropt,  there  will  be  little  comfort  in 
it:  though  it  were  never  to  be  removed  while  we  live, 
that  should  not  cut  off  our  applying  to  God  for  the 
removal;  for  there  are  many  prayers  not  to  be  an- 
swered till  we  come  to  the  other  world,  Rom.  vii. 
24,  and  there  all  will  be  answered  at  once. 

Directions  for  rightly  managing  the  application  for 
removing  the  crook  in  the  lot. 

1.  Pray  for  it,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  37.  and  pray  in  faith, 
believing  that,  for  the  sake  of  Jesus,  you  shall  cer- 
tainly obtain  at  length,  and  in  this  life  too,  if  it  is 
good  for  you  ;  but  without  peradventure  in  the  life  to 
come.  Matt.  xxi.  22.  They  will  not  be  disappointed 
that  get  the  song  of  Moses  and  of  the  Lamb.  Rev. 
XV.  3.  And,  in  some  cases  of  that  nature,  extraor- 
dinary prayer,  with  fasting,  is  very  expedient.  Matt, 
xvii.  21. 

2.  Humble  yourselves  under  it,  as  the  yoke  which 
the  sovereign  hand  has  laid  on  you,  Micah,  vii.  9. 
*'  I  will  bear  the  indignation  of  the  Lord,  because  I 
have  sinned  against  him,"  <fec.  Justify  God,  con- 
demn yourselves,  kiss  the  rod,  and  go  quietly  under 
it ;  this  is  the  most  feasible  way  to  get  rid  of  it,  the 


HOW  TO  OBTAIN  RELIEF  UNDER  IT.  67 

end  being  obtained.  James  iv.  10.  *'  Thou  wilt 
prepare  their  liearts,  thou  wilt  cause  thine  ear  to 
hear."    Psal.  x.  17. 

3.  Wait  on  patiently  till  the  hand  that  made  it 
mend  it,  Psal.  xxvii.  14.  Do  not  give  up  the  matter 
as  hopeless,  because  you  are  not  so  soon  relieved  as 
you  would  wish ;  "  But  let  patience  have  her  per- 
fect work,  that  ye  may  be  .perfect  and  entire,  want- 
ing nothing."  James  i.  4. — Leave  the  timing  of  the 
deliverance  to  the  Lord ;  his  time  will  at  length,  to 
conviction,  appear  the  best,  and  it  will  not  go  be- 
yond it.  Isa.  Ix.  22.  "  I,  the  Lord,  will  hasten  it  in 
his  time ;"  waiting  on  him,  ye  will  not  be  disap- 
pointed, "  For  they  shall  not  be  ashamed  that  wait 
for  me.   Isa.  xlix.  23. 

Exhortation  2.  What  crook  there  is,  which,  in 
the  settled  order  of  things,  cannot  be  removed  or 
evened  in  this  world,  let  us  apply  to  God  for  suit- 
able relief  under  it.  For  instance,  the  common 
crook  in  the  lot  of  saints,  viz.  hi-dwelling  sin ;  as 
God  has  made  that  crook  not  to  be  removed  here 
he  can  certainly  balance  it,  and  aftbrd  relief  under  it. 
The  same  is  to  be  said  of  any  crook,  while  it  remains 
unremoved.  In  such  cases  apply  yourself  to  God, 
for  making  up  your  losses  another  way.  And  there 
are  five  things  I  would  have  you  to  keep  in  view, 
and  aim  at  here. 

1.  To  take  God  in  Christ  for,  and  instead  of  that 
thing,  the  withholding  or  taking  away  of  which  from 
you  makes  the  crook  in  your  lot.  Psal.  cxlii.  4,  5. 
There  is  never  a  crook  which  God  makes  in  our  lot, 
but  it  is  in  effect  heaven's  offer  of  a  blessed  exchange 
to  us  ;  such  as  Mark  x.  21.  "  Sell  whatsoever  thou 
hast, — and  thou  shalt  have  treasure  in  heaven."  In 
managing  of  which  exchange,  God  first  puts  out  his 
hand,  and  takes  away  some  earthly  thing  from  us, 
8 


(38  HOW  TO  OBTAIN  RELIEF  UNDER  IT. 

and  it  is  expected  we  put  out  our  hand  next,  and  take 
some  heavenly  thing  from  him  in  the  stead  of  it,  and 
particularly  his  Christ.  Wherefore  has  God  emptied 
your  left  hand  of  such  and  such  an  earthly  comfort? 
Stretch  out  your  right-hand  to  God  in  Christ,  take 
him  in  the  room  of  it,  and  welcome.  Therefore  the 
soul's  closing  with  Christ  is  called  buying,  wherein 
parting  with  one  thing,  we  get  another  in  its  stead, 
Matt.  xiii.  45,  46.  "  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like 
unto  a  merchantman  seeking  goodly  pearls:  who, 
when  he  had  found  one  pearl  of  great  price,  he  went 
and  sold  all  that  he  had  and  bought  it."  Do  this, 
and  you  will  be  more  than  even  hands  with  the  crook 
in  your  lot. 

2.  Look  for  the  stream  running  as  full  from  him 
as  ever  it  did  or  could  run,  when  the  crook  of  the  lot 
has  dried  it.  This  is  the  work  of  faith,  confidently 
to  depend  on  God  for  that  which  is  denied  us  from 
the  creature.  "  When  my  father  and  mother  forsake 
me,  then  the  Lord  will  take  me  up."  Psal.  xxvii.  10. 
This  is  a  most  rational  expectation:  for  it  is  certain 
there  is  no  good  in  the  creature  but  what  is  from 
God;  therefore  there  is  no  good  to  be  found  in  the 
creature,  the  stream,  but  what  may  be  got  imme- 
dietely  from  God,  the  fountain.  And  it  is  a  welcome 
plea,  to  come  to  God  and  say.  Now,  Lord,  thou  hast 
taken  away  from  me  such  a  creature-comfort,  I  must 
have  as  good  from  thyself. 

3.  Seek  for  the  spiritual  fruits  of  the  crook  in  the 
lot.  Heb.  xii.  H.  We  see  the  way  in  the  world  is, 
when  one  trade  fails,  to  fall  on,  and  drive  another 
trade ;  so  should  we,  when  there  is  a  crook  in  the 
lot,  making  our  earthly  comforts  low,  set  ourselves 
the  more  for  spiritual  attainments.  If  our  trade 
with  the  world  sinks,  let  us  see  to  drive  a  trade  with 
heaven  more  vigorously;  see,  if  by  means  of  the 


HOW  TO  BEAR  IT  WELL.  69 

crook,  we  can  obtain  more  faith,  love,  hcavenly- 
mindedness,  contempt  of  the  world,  humility,  self- 
denial,  &LC.  2  Cor.  vi.  10.  So  while  we  lose  at  one 
hand,  we  shall  gain  at  another. 

4.  Grace  to  bear  us  up  under  the  crook,  2  Cor. 
xii.  8,  9.  "  For  this  thing  I  besought  the  Lord  thrice ;" 
and  he  said,  "  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee." 
Whether  a  man  be  faint,  and  have  a  light  burden,  or 
be  refreshed,  and  strengthened,  and  have  a  heavy 
one,  it  is  all  the  same;  the  latter  can  go  as  easy 
under  his  burden  as  the  former  under  his.  Grace 
proportioned  to  the  trial  is  what  we  should  aim  at; 
getting  that,  though  the  crook  be  not  evened,  we  are 
even  hands  with  it. 

5.  The  keeping  in  our  eye  the  eternal  rest  and 
weight  of  glory  in  the  other  Avorld,  2  Cor.  iv.  17, 18. 
*'  For  our  light  affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  moment, 
worketh  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal 
weight  of  glory;  while  we  look  not  at  the  things  which 
are  seen,  but  at  the  things  which  are  not  seen."  This 
will  balance  tlje  crook  in  your  lot,  be  it  what  it  will; 
while  they  who  have  no  well-grounded  hope  of  sal- 
vation, will  find  the  crook  in  their  lot  in  this  world 
such  a  weight,  as  they  have  nothing  to  counter- 
balance it;  but  the  hope  of  eternal  rest  may  bear  up 
under  all  the  toil  and  trouble  met  with  here. 

Exhortation  3.  Let  us  then  set  ourselves  rightly 
to  bear  the  crook  in  our  lot,  while  God  sees  meet  to 
continue  it.  What  we  cannot  mend,  let  us  bear 
chrisiianly,  and  not  fight  against  God,  and  so  kick 
against  the  pricks.     So  let  us  bear  it, 

1.  Patiently,  without  fuming  and  fretting,  or  mur- 
muring, James  v.  7.  Psal.  xxxvii.  7.  Though  we 
lose  our  comfort  in  the  creature,  through  the  crook 
in  our  lot,  let  us  not  lose  the  possession  of  ourselves. 
Luke  xxi.  19.     The  crook  in  our  lot  makes  us  like 


70  EXHORTATION  TO  THIS  EFFECT. 

one  who  has  but  a  scanty  fire  to  warm  at :  but  im- 
patience under  it  scatters  it,  so  as  to  set  the  house  on 
fire  about  us,  and  expose  us  to  danger.  Prov.  xxv. 
28.  "  He  that  hath  no  rule  over  his  own  spirit, 
is  like  a  city  that  is  broken  down,  and  without 
walls." 

2.  With  Christian  fortitude,  without  sinking  under 
discouragement — "  nor  faint  when  thou  art  rebuked 
of  him."  Heb.  xii.  5.  Satan's  work  is  by  the  crook, 
either  to  bend  or  break  people's  spirits,  and  often- 
times by  bending  to  break  them :  our  work  is  to 
carry  evenly  under  it,  steering  a  middle  course, ' 
guarding  against  splitting  on  the  rocks  on  either 
hand.  Our  happiness  lies  not  in  any  earthly  comfort, 
nor  will  the  want  of  any  of  them  render  us  miserable. 
Hab.  iii.  17,  18.  So  that  we  are  resolutely  to  hold 
on  our  way  with  a  holy  contempt,  and  regardless- 
ness  of  hardships.  Job  xvii.  9.  "  The  righteous  also 
shall  hold  on  his  way,  and  he  that  hath  clean  hands 
shall  be  stronger  and  stronger." 

Quest.  "  When  may  any  one  be  reckoned  to  fall 
under  sinking  discouragement  from  the  crook  in  his 
lot?" 

Ans.  When  it  prevails  so  far  as  to  unfit  for  the 
duties,  either  of  our  particular  or  Christian  calling. 
We  may  be  sure  it  has  carried  us  beyond  the  bounds 
of  moderate  grief,  when  it  unfits  us  for  the  common 
affairs  of  life,  which  the  Lord  calls  us  to  manage. 
1  Cor.  vii.  24.  Or  for  the  duties  of  religion,  hin- 
dering them  altogether.  1  Pet.  iii.  7.  "  That  your 
prayers  be  not  hindered,"  (Greek,  cut  off,  or  cut  up, 
like  a  tree  from  the  roots,)  or  making  one  quite 
hopeless  in  them.    Mai.  ii.  13. 

3.  Let  us  bear  it  profitably,  so  as  we  may  gain 
some  advantage  thereby.  Psal.  cxix.  71.  '*It  is  good 
for  me  that  I  have  been  afflicted ;  that  I  might  learn 


MOTIVES  TO  PRESS  THIS  EXHORTATION.  71 

thy  statutes."  There  is  an  advantage  to  be  made 
thereby,  Rom.  v.  3 — 5.  And  it  is  certainly  an  ill- 
managed  crook  in  our  lot,  when  we  get  not  some 
spiritual  good  of  it.  Heb.  xii.  11.  The  crook  is  a 
kind  of  spiritual  medicine ;  and  as  it  is  lost  physic 
that  purges  away  no  ill  humours,  in  vain  are  its  un- 
pleasantness to  the  taste  and  its  gripings  endured; 
so  it  is  a  lost  crook,  and  ill  is  the  bitterness  of  it  borne 
if  we  are  not  bettered  by  it.  Isa.  xxvii.  9.  "  By  this, 
therefore,  shall  the  iniquity  of  Jacob  be  purged,  and 
this  is  all  the  fruit,  to  take  away  his  sin." 

Motives  to  press  this  exhortation. 

Motive  1.  There  will  be  no  evening  of  it  while 
God  sees  meet  to  continue  it.  Let  us  behave  under 
it  as  we  will,  and  make  what  sallies  we  please  in 
the  case,  it  will  continue  immovable,  as  fixed  with 
bands  of  iron  and  brass.  Job  xxiii.  13,  14.  "But  he 
is  of  one  mind,  and  who  can  turn  him?  and  what 
his  soul  desireth,  even  that  he  doth.  For  he  per- 
formeth  the  thing  that  is  appointed  for  me;  and 
many  such  things  are  with  him."  Is  it  not  wisdom 
then  to  make  the  best  we  may  of  what  we  cannot 
mend?  Make  a  virtue  then  of  necessity.  What  is 
not  to  be  cured  must  be  endured,  and  should  with 
a  Christian  resignation. 

Motive  2.  An  awkward  carriage  under  it  notably 
increases  the  pain  of  it.  AVhat  makes  the  yoke  gall 
our  necks,  but  that  we  struggle  so  much  against  it, 
and  cannot  let  it  sit  at  ease  on  us.  Jer.  xxxi.  18. 
How  often  are  we,  in  that  case,  like  men  dashing 
their  heads  against  a  rock  to  remove  it !  The  rock 
stands  unmoved,  but  they  are  wounded,  and  lose 
exceedingly  by  their  struggle.  Impatience  under  the 
crook  lays  an  over-weight  on  the  burden,  and  makes 
it  heavier,  while  withal  it  weakens  us,  and  makes  us 
less  able  to  bear  it. 

8* 


72  QUESTION  ANSWERED. 

Motive  3.  The  crook  in  thy  lot  is  the  special 
trial  God  has  chosen  for  thee  to  take  thy  measure 
by.  1  Pet.  i.  6,  7.  It  is  God's  fire,  whereby  he  tries 
what  metal  men  are  of;  heaven's  touchstone  for  dis- 
covering true  and  counterfeit  Christians.  They  may 
bear,  and  go  through  several  trials,  whom  the  crook 
in  the  lot  will  discover  to  be  naught,  because,  by  no 
means  they  can  bear  that.  Mark  x.  21,  22.  Think 
then  with  thyself  under  it;  now,  here  the  trial  of 
my  state  turns ;  I  must,  by  this,  be  proved  either 
sincere,  or  a  hypocrite ;  for,  can  any  be  a  cordial 
subject  of  Christ,  without  being  able  to  submit  his 
lot  to  him?  Do  not  all  who  sincerely  come  to 
Christ,  put  a  blank  in  his  hand  ?  Acts  ix.  6.  Psal. 
xlvii.  4.  And  does  he  not  tell  us,  that  without  that 
disposition  we  are  not  his  disciples  ?  Luke  xiv.  26. 
"  If  any  man  come  to  me,  and  hate  not  his  father 
and  mother,  and  wife,  and  children,  and  brethren, 
and  sisters,  yea,  and  his  own  life  also,  he  cannot  be 
my  disciple."  Perhaps  you  find  you  can  submit  to 
any  thing  but  that ;  but  will  not  that  but  mar  all ; 
Mark  x.  21,  22.  Did  ever  any  hear  of  a  sincere 
closing  with  Christ  with  a  reserve  or  exception  of 
one  thing,  wherein  they  behoved  to  be  their  own 
lords  ? 

Quest.  "  Is  that  disposition  then  a  qualification 
necessarily  pre-required  to  our  believing :  and  if  so, 
where  must  we  have  it?  Can  we  work  it  out  of  our 
natural  powers  ?" 

Ans.  No,  it  is  not  so ;  but  it  necessarily  accom- 
panies and  goes  along  with  believing,  flowing  from 
the  same  saving  illumination  in  the  knowledge  of 
Christ,  whereby  the  soul  is  brought  to  believe  on 
him.  Hereby  the  soul  sees  him  an  able  Saviour,  and 
so  trusts  on  him  for  salvation ;  the  rightful  Lord  and 
infinitely  wise  Ruler,  and  so  submits  the  lot  to  him. 


DIFFICULTY  SOLVED.  73 

Matt.  xiii.  45,  46.  The  soul  taking  him  for  a  Sa- 
viour, takes  him  also  for  a  head  and  ruler.  It  is 
Christ's  giving  himself  to  us,  and  our  receiving  him, 
that  causes  us  to  quit  other  things  to  and  for  him,  as 
it  is  the  light  that  dispels  the  darkness. 

Case.  "  Alas  !  1  cannot  get  my  heart  freely  to 
submit  my  lot  to  him  in  that  point." 

Ans.  1.  That  submission  will  not  be  carried  on  in 
any  without  a  struggle ;  the  old  man  will  never  sub- 
mit to  it,  and  when  the  new  man  of  grace  is  sub- 
mitting to  it,  the  old  man  will  still  be  rebelling.  Gal. 
V.  17.  "  For  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit,  and 
the  spirit  against  the  flesh.  And  these  are  contrary, 
the  one  to  the  other,  so  that  ye  cannot  do  the  things 
that  ye  would ;"  but  are  ye  sincerely  desirous  and 
habitually  aiming  to  submit  to  it?  From  the  un- 
gracious struggle  against  the  crook,  turn  away  to 
the  struggle  with  your  own  heart  to  bring  it  to  sub- 
mit, believing  the  promise,  and  using  the  means  for 
it,  being  grieved  from  the  heart  with  yourself,  that 
you  cannot  submit  to  it.  This  is  submitting  of 
your  lot,  in  the  favourable  construction  of  the  gos- 
pel. Rom.  vii.  17 — 20;  2  Cor.  viii.  12.  If  you  had 
your  choice,  would  you  rather  have  your  heart 
brought  to  submit  to  the  crook,  than  the  crook 
evened  to  your  heart's  desire?  Rom.  vii.  22,  23. 
And  do  you  not  sincerely  endeavour  to  submit,  not- 
withstanding the  reluctancy  of  the  flesh?  Gal. 
v.  17. 

Ans.  2.  Where  is  the  Christian  self-denial,  and 
taking  up  the  cross,  without  submitting  to  the  crook? 
This  is  the  first  lesson  Christ  puts  in  the  hands  of 
his  disciples,  Matt.  xvi.  24.  ^'  If  any  man  will  come 
after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross, 
and  follow  me."  Self-denial  would  procure  a  recon- 
^ciliation  with  the  crook,  and  an  admittance  of  the 


74  ADDITIONAL  MOTIVES  URGED. 

cross :  but  while  we  cannot  bear  our  corrupt  self  to 
be  denied  any  of  its  cravings,  and  particularly  that 
which  God  sees  meet  especially  to  be  denied,  we 
cannot  bear  the  crook  in  our  lot,  but  fight  against  it 
in  favour  of  self. 

Ans.  3.  Where  is  our  conformity  to  Christ,  while 
we  cannot  submit  to  the  crook?  We  cannot  evi- 
dence ourselves  Christians,  without  conformity  to 
Christ.  "  He  that  saith  he  abideth  in  him,  ought 
himself  also  so  to  walk,  even  as  he  walked."  1  John 
ii.  6.  There  was  a  continued  crook  in  Christ's  lot, 
but  he  submitted  to  it,  Phil.  ii.  8.  "  And  being 
found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself,  and 
became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the 
cross.  Rom.  xv.  3.  For  even  Christ  pleased  not 
himself,  &lc.  And  so  must  we,  if  we  will  prove 
ourselves  Christians  indeed.  Matt.  xi.  29.;  2  Tim.  ii. 
11,  12. 

Ans.  4.  How  shall  we  prove  ourselves  the  genuine 
kindly  children  of  God,  if  still  warring  with  the 
crook  ?  We  cannot  pray.  Our  Father — Thy  will  be 
done  on  earth,  as,  &c.  Matt.  vi.  Nay,  the  language 
of  that  practice  is,  We  must  have  our  own  will,  and 
God's  will  cannot  satisfy  us. 

Motive  4.  The  trial  by  the  crook  here  will  not  last 
long.  1  Cor.  vii.  29 — 31.  What  though  the  work 
be  sore,  it  may  be  the  better  comported  with,  that  it 
will  not  be  longsome ;  a  few  days  or  years  at  farthest, 
will  put  an  end  to  it,  and  take  you  off  your  trials. 
Do  not  say,  I  shall  never  be  eased  of  it;  for  if  not 
eased  before,  you  will  be  eased  of  it  at  death,  come 
after  it  what  will.  A  serious  view  of  death  and 
eternity  might  make  us  set  ourselves  to  behave  rightly 
under  our  crook  while  it  lasts. 

Motive  5.  If  you  would,  in  a  Christian  manner, 
set  yourselves  to  bear  the  crook,  you  would  find  it 


ADDITIONAL  MOTIVES  URGED.  75 

easier  than  you  imagine,  Matt.  xi.  29,  30.  "  Take 
my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of  me,  and  ye  shall 
find  rest  to  your  souls ;  for  my  yoke  is  easy,  and  my 
burden  is  light."  Satan  has  no  readier  way  to  gain 
his  purpose,  than  to  persuade  men  it  is  impossible, 
that  ever  their  minds  should  ply  with  the  crook ; 
that  it  is  a  burden  to  them,  altogether  insupport- 
able ;  as  long  as  you  believe  that,  be  sure  you  will 
never  be  able  to  bear  it.  But  the  Lord  makes  no 
crook  in  the  lot  of  any,  but  what  may  be  borne  of 
them  acceptably,  though  not  sinlessly  and  perfectly. 
Matt.  xi.  30.  For  there  is  strength  for  that  eiSect 
secured  in  the  covenant,  2  Cor.  iii.  5;  Phil.  iv.  13, 
and  being  by  faith  fetched,  it  will  certainly  come, 
Psal.  xxviii.  7. 

Motive  6.  If  you  behave  Christianly  under  your 
crook  here,  you  will  not  lose  your  labour,  but  get  a 
full  reward  of  grace  in  the  other  world,  through 
Christ.  2  Tim.  ii.  12 ;  1  Cor.  xv.  58.  There  is  a 
blessing  pronounced  on  him  that  endureth  on  this 
very  ground,  James  i.  12.  "  Blessed  is  the  man 
that  endureth  temptation ;  for,  when  he  is  tried,  he 
shall  receive  the  crown  of  life  which  the  Lord  hath 
promised  to  them  that  love  him."  Heaven  is  the 
place  into  which  the  approved,  upon  the  trial  of  the 
crook  are  received.  Rev.  vii.  14.  "  These  are  they 
which  came  out  of  great  tribulation,  and  have  washed 
their  robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb."  When  you  come  there,  no  vestiges  of  it 
will  be  remaining  in  your  lot,  nor  will  you  have  the 
least  uneasy  remembrance  of  it;  but  it  will  accent 
your  praises,  and  increase  your  joy. 

Motive  7.  If  you  do  not  behave  Christianly  under 
it,  you  will  lose  your  souls  in  the  other  world,  Jude 
15,  16.  Those  who  are  at  war  with  God  in  their 
lot  here,  God  will  have  war  with  them  for  ever.     If 


76  THE  CROOK,  THE  WORK  OF  GOD. 

they  will  not  submit  to  tiis  yoke  here,  and  go  quietly 
under  it,  he  will  wreathe  his  yoke  about  their  neck 
for  ever,  with  everlasting  bonds  that  shall  never  be 
loosed.  Job  ix.  4.  Therefore  set  yourselves  to  be- 
have rightly  under  the  crook  in  your  lot. 

If  you  ask  what  way  one  may  reach  that;  for 
direction  we  propose, 

Prop.  III.  The  considering  the  crook  in  the  lot,  as 
the  ivork  of  God,  is  a  proper  means  to  bring  one 
to  behave  rightly  under  it. 

I.  What  it  is  to  consider  the  crook  as  the  work  of 
God.     We  take  it  up  in  these  five  things: 

First,  An  inquiry  into  the  spring  whence  it  rises. 
Gen.  XXV.  22.  Reason  and  religion  both  teach  us, 
not  only  to  notice  the  crook,  which  we  cannot  avoid, 
but  to  consider  and  inquire  into  the  spring  of  it. 
Surely,  it  is  not  our  choice,  nor  do  we  designedly 
make  it  for  ourselves :  and  to  ascribe  it  to  fortune  is 
to  ascribe  it  to  nothing:  it  is  not  sprung  of  itself,  but 
sown  by  one  hand  or  another  for  us.  Job  v.  6.  And 
we  are  to  notice  the  hand  from  whence  it  comes. 

Secondly,  A  perceiving  of  the  hand  of  God  in  it. 
Whatever  hand  any  creatures  have  therein,  we  ought 
not  to  terminate  our  view  in  them,  but  look  above 
and  beyond  them  to  the  supreme  manager's  agency. 
Job  i.  21.  Without  this  we  shall  make  a  God  of 
the  creature  that  is  instrumental  of  the  crook,  look- 
ing on  it  as  if  it  were  the  first  cause,  which  is  pecu- 
liar to  God,  Rom.  xi.  36,  and  bring  ourselves  under 
that  doom.  Psalm  xxviii,  5.  "  Because  they  regard 
not  the  works  of  the  Lord,  nor  the  operation  of  his 
hands,  he  shall  destroy  them,  and  not  build  them 
up." 

Thirdly,  A  representing  it  to  ourselves  as  a  work 


ACCORDING  TO  THE  COUNSEL  OF  HIS  WILL.  77 

of  God,  which  he  hath  wrought  against  us  for  holy 
and  wise  ends,  becoming  the  divine  perfections. 
This  is  to  take  it  by  the  right  handle,  to  represent  it 
to  ourselves,  under  a  right  notion,  from  whence  a 
right  management  under  it  may  spring.  It  can 
never  be  safe  to  overlook  God  in  it,  but  very  safe  to 
overlook  the  creature;  ascribing  it  unto  God,  as  if  no 
other  hand  were  in  it,  his  being  always  the  principal 
therein.  *'  It  is  the  Lord,  let  him  do  what  seemeth 
him  good."  1  Sam.  iii.  18.  Thus  David  overlooked 
Shimei,  and  looked  to  God  in  the  matter  of  his 
cursing,  as  one  fixing  his  eyes,  not  on  the  axe,  but 
on  him  that  wielded  it.  Here  two  things  are  to 
come  into  our  consideration. 

1st.  The  decree  of  God,  purposing  that  crook  for 
us  from  eternity ;  "  for  he  worketh  all  things  after 
the  counsel  of  his  own  will,"  Eph.  i.  11,  the  sealed 
book,  in  which  are  written  all  the  black  lines  that 
make  the  crook.  Whatever  valleys  of  darkness, 
grief,  and  sorrow,  we  are  carried  through,  we  are  to 
look  on  them  as  made  by  the  mountains  of  brass, 
the  immovable  divine  purposes.  Zech.  vi.  1.  This 
Gan  be  no  presumption  in  that  case,  if  we  carry  it  no 
further  than  the  event  goes  in  our  sight  and  feeling : 
for  so  far  the  book  is  opened  for  us  to  look  into. 

2dly.  The  providence  of  God  bringing  to  pass 
that  crook  for  us  in  time.  Amos  iii.  6.  There  is 
nothing  can  befall  us  without  him  in  whom  we  live. 
Whatever  kind  of  agency  of  the  creatures  may  be  in 
the  making  of  our  crook,  whatever  they  have  done 
or  not  done  towards  it,  he  is  the  spring  that  sets  all 
the  created  wheels  in  motion,  which  ceasing,  they 
would  all  stop :  though  he  is  still  infinitely  pure  in 
his  agency,  however  impure  they  be  in  theirs.  Job 
considerd  both  these,  eh.  xxiii.  14. 

Fourthly.    A  continuing  in  the  thought  of  it  as 


78  USE  OF  THIS  CONSIDERATION. 

such.  It  is  not  a  simple  glance  of  the  eye,  but  a  con- 
templating and  leisurely  viewing  of  it  as  his  work, 
that  is  the  proper  mean.     We  are  to  be, 

1st.  Habitually  impressed  with  this  consideration: 
as  the  crook  is  some  lasting  grievance,  so  the  con- 
sideration of  this  as  the  remedy  should  be  habitually 
kept  up.  There  are  other  considerations  besides  this 
that  we  must  entertain,  so  that  we  cannot  always 
have  it  expressly  in  our  mind:  but  we  must  lay  it 
down  for  a  rooted  principle,  according  to  which  we 
are  to  manage  the  crook,  and  keep  the  heart  in  a 
disposition,  whereby  it  may  expressly  slip  into  our 
minds,  as  occasion  calls. 

2dly.  We  are  to  be  occasionally  exercised  in  it. 
AVhenever  we  begin  to  feel  the  smart  of  the  crook, 
we  should  fetch  in  this  remedy;  when  the  yoke  be- 
gins to  gall  the  neck,  there  should  be  an  application 
of  this  spiritual  ointment.  And  however  often  the 
former  comes  in  on  us,  it  will  be  our  wisdom  to  fetch 
in  the  latter  as  the  proper  remedy;  the  oftener  it  is 
used,  it  will  more  easily  come  to  hand,  and  also  be 
the  more  effectual. 

Fifthly.  A  considering  it  for  the  end  for  which  it 
is  proposed  to  us,  namely,  to  bring  us  to  a  dutiful 
carriage  under  it.  Men's  corruptions  will  cause  them 
to  enter  on  the  consideration  of  it:  but  as  the  prin- 
ciple is,  so  the  end  and  effect  of  it  will  be  corrupt. 
2  Kings  vi.  33.  But  we  must  enter  on,  and  use  it 
for  a  good  end,  if  we  would  have  good  of  it,  taking 
it  as  a  practical  consideration  for  regulating  our  con- 
duct under  the  crook. 

II.  How  it  is  to  be  understood  to  be  a  proper 
means  to  bring  one  to  behave  rightly  under  the 
crook. 

Not  as  if  it  were  sufficient  of  itself,  and  as  it  stands 
alone,  to  produce  that  effect.     But  as  it  is  used  in 


INDISPENSABLE  NECESSITY  OF  FAITH.        79 

faith,  in  the  faith  of  the  gospel ;  that  is  to  say,  A 
sinner's  bare  considering  the  crook  in  his  lot  as  the 
work  of  God,  without  any  saving  relation  to  him, 
will  never  be  a  way  to  behave  himself  righdy  under 
it:  but  having  believed  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  so 
taking  God  for  his  God,  the  considering  of  the 
crook  as  the  work  of  God,  his  God,  is  the  proper 
means  to  bring  him  to  that  desirable  temper  and  be- 
haviour. Many  hearers  mistake  here.  When  they 
hear  such  and  such  lawful  considerations  proposed 
for  bringing  them  to  duty,  they  presently  imagine, 
that  by  the  mere  force  of  them,  they  may  gain  the 
point.  And  many  preachers  too,  who,  forgetting 
Christ  and  the  gospel,  pretend  by  the  force  of  reason 
to  make  men  Christians ;  the  eyes  of  both  being 
held,  that  they  do  not  see  the  corruption  of  men's 
nature,  which  is  such  as  sets  the  true  cure  above  the 
force  of  reason :  all  that  they  are  sensible  of,  being 
some  ill  habits,  which  they  think  may  be  shaken  off 
by  a  vigorous  application  of  their  rational  facul- 
ties.    To  clear  this  matter,  consider, 

First.  Is  it  rational  to  think  to  set  fallen  man, 
with  his  corrupted  nature,  to  work  the  same  way 
with  innocent  Adam?  that  is  to  set  beggars  on  a 
level  with  the  rich,  lame  men  to  a  journey  with  those 
that  have  limbs.  Innocent  Adam  had  a  stock  of 
gracious  abilities,  whereby  he  might,  by  the  force 
of  moral  considerations,  have  brought  himself  to 
perform  duty  aright.  But  where  is  that  with  us  ? 
2  Cor.  iii.  5.  Whatever  force  be  in  them  to  a  soul 
endowed  with  spiritual  life,  what  power  have  they  to 
raise  the  dead,  such  as  we  are  ?  Eph.  ii.  1. 

Secondly.    The   scripture   is  very  plain    on   this 

head,  showing  the  indispensable  necessity  of  faith ; 

Heb.  xi.  and  that,  such  as  unites   to  Christ,  John 

XV.  5.     "  Without  me,"  that  is,  separate  from  me, 

9 


80  INDISPENSABLE  NECESSITY  OF  FAITH. 

"  ye  can  do  nothing ;"  no,  not  with  all  the  moral 
considerations  ye  can  use.  How  were  the  ten  com- 
mandments given  on  mount  Sinai  ?  not  as  bare  exac- 
tions of  duty,  but  fronted  with  the  gospel,  to  be  be- 
lieved in  the  first  place  ;  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God." 
&c.  And  so  Solomon,  whom  many  regard  rather 
as  a  moral  philosopher,  than  an  inspired  writer 
leading  to  Christ,  fronts  his  writings,  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Proverbs,  with  most  express  gospel. 
And  must  we  have  it  expressly  repeated  in  our 
Bibles  with  every  moral  precept,  or  else  shut  our 
eyes  and  take  these  precepts  without  it?  that  is  the 
effect  of  our  natural  enmity  to  Christ.  If  we  loved> 
him  more,  we  should  see  him  more  in  every  page, 
and  in  every  command,  receiving  the  law  at  his  mouth. 
Thirdly.  Do  but  consider  what  it  is  to  believe 
rightly  under  the  crook  in  the  lot;  what  humilia- 
tion of  soul,  self-denial,  and  absolute  resignation  to 
the  will  of  God  must  be  in  it:  what  love  to  God  it 
must  proceed  from ;  how  regard  to  his  glory  must 
influence  it  as  the  chief  end  thereof;  and  try,  and 
see  if  it  is  not  impossible  for  you  to  reach  it  without 
that  faith  aforementioned.  I  know  a  Christian  may 
reach  it  without  full  assurance:  but  still,  according 
to  the  measure  of  their  persuasion  that  God  is  their 
God,  so  will  their  attainments  in  it  be ;  these  keep 
equal  pace.  O  what  kind  of  hearts  do  they  imagine 
themselves  to  have,  that  think  they  can  for  a  mo- 
ment empty  them  of  the  creature,  farther  than  they 
can  fill  them  with  a  God,  as  their  God,  in  its  room 
and  stead  !  No  doubt  men  may,  from  the  force  of 
moral  considerations,  work  themselves  to  a  beha- 
viour under  the  crook,  externally  right,  such  as 
many  pagans  had ;  but  a  Christian  disposition  of 
spirit  under  it  will  never  be  reached,  without  that 
faith  in  God. 


IMPORTANCE  OF  DUE  CONSIDERATION.  81 

Object.  "  Then  it  is  saints  only  that  are  capable  of 
the  improvement  of  that  consideration." 

Ans.  Yea,  indeed  it  is  so,  as  to  that  and  all  other 
moral  considerations,  for  true  Christian  ends :  and 
that  amounts  to  no  more,  than  that  directions  for 
walking  rightly  are  only  for  the  living,  that  have  the 
use  of  their  limbs :  and,  therefore,  that  ye  may 
improve  it,  set  yourselves  to  believe  in  the  first  place. 

III.  I  shall  confirm  that  it  is  a  proper  mean  to 
bring  one  to  behave  rightly  under  it.  This  will  ap- 
pear, if  we  consider  these  four  things. 

1.  It  is  of  great  use  to  divert  from  the  considering 
and  dwelling  on  those  things  about  the  crook,  which 
serve  to  irritate  our  corruption.  Such  are  the  balk- 
ing of  our  will  and  wishes,  the  satisfaction  we  should 
have  in  the  matter's  going  according  to  our  mind, 
the  instruments  of  the  crook,  how  injurious  they  are 
to  us,  how  unreasonable,  how  obstinate,  &;c.  The 
dwelling  on  these  considerations  is  but  the  blowing  of 
the  fire  within  ;  but  to  turn  our  eyes  to  it  as  the  work 
of  God,  would  be  a  cure  by  way  of  diversion,  2  Sam. 
vi.  9,  10 ;  and  such  diversion  of  the  thoughts  is  not 
only  lawful,  but  expedient  and  necessary. 

2.  It  has  a  moral  aptitude  for  producing  this  good 
effect.  Though  our  cure  is  not  compassed  by  the 
mere  force  of  reason  ;  yet  it  is  carried  on,  not  by  a 
brutal  movement,  but  in  a  rational  way.  Eph.  v.  14. 
This  consideration  has  a  moral  efficacy  on  our 
reason,  it  is  fit  to  awe  us  into  a  submission,  and  mi- 
nisters a  deal  of  argument  for  behaving  christianly 
under  our  crook. 

3.  It  has  a  divine  appointment  for  that  end,  which 
is  to  be  believed.  Prov.  iii.  6.  So  the  text.  The 
creature  in  itself  is  an  inefficacious  and  moveless 
thing,  a  mere  vanity.  Acts  xvii.  28.  That  which 
makes  any  thing  a  means  fit  for  the  end,  is  a  word 


82  IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  SUBJECT. 

of  divine  appointment.  Matt.  iv.  4.  To  use  any 
thing  then  for  an  end,  without  the  faith  of  this,  is 
to  make  a  god  of  the  creature  ;  therefore  it  is  to  be 
used  in  a  dependence  on  God,  according  to  that 
word  of  appointment.  1  Tim.  iv.  4,  5.  And  every 
thing  is  fit  for  the  end  for  which  C4od  has  appointed 
it.  This  consideration  is  appointed  for  that  end ; 
and  therefore  is  a  fit  means  for  it. 

4.  The  Spirit  may  be  expected  to  work  by  it,  and 
does  work  by  it,  in  them  that  believe,  and  look  to 
him  for  it,  for  as  much  as  it  is  a  mean  of  his  own  ap- 
pointment. Papists,  legalists,  and  all  superstitious 
persons,  devised  various  means  of  sanctification, 
seeming  to  have,  or  really  having,  a  moral  fitness 
for  the  same;  but  they  are  quite  ineffectual,  because, 
like  Abana  and  Pharpar,  they  want  a  word  of  divine 
appointment  for  curing  us  of  our  leprosy;  there- 
fore the  Spirit  works  not  by  them,  since  they  are 
not  his  instruments,  but  devised  of  their  own  hearts. 
And  since  even  the  means  of  divine  appointment  are 
ineffectual  without  the  Spirit,  these  can  never  be 
eflfectual.  But  this  consideration  having  a  divine 
appointment,  the  Spirit  works  by  it. 

Use.  Then  take  this  direction  for  your  behaving 
rightly  under  the  crook  in  your  lot.  Inure  your- 
selves to  consider  it  as  the  work  of  God.  And  fot 
helping  you  to  improve  it,  so  as  it  may  be  eflfectual, 
I  offer  these  advices  : 

1.  Consider  it  as  the  work  of  your  God  in  Christ. 
This  is  the  way  to  sprinkle  it  with  gospel-grace,  and 
so  to  make  it  tolerable.  Psal.  xxii.  1.  The  discern- 
ing of  a  Father's  hand  in  the  crook  will  take  out 
much  of  the  bitterness  of  it,  and  sugar  the  pill  to 
you.  For  this  cause  it  will  be  necessary,  (1)  So- 
lemnly to  take  God  for  your  God,  under  your  crook, 
Psal.  cxlii.  4.  5.     (2)  In  all  your  encounters  with  it, 


ADVANTAGE  OF  HUMILITY  83 

resolutely  to  believe,  and  claim  your  interest  in  him, 
1  Sam.  XXX.  6. 

2.  Enlarge  the  consideration  with  a  view  of  the 
divine  relations  to  you,  and  the  divine  attributes, 
Consider  it,  being  the  work  of  your  God,  the  work  of 
your  Father,  elder  Brother,  Head,  Husband,  &;c.,  who 
therefore,  surely  consults  your  good.  Consider  his 
holiness  and  justice,  showing  he  wrongs  you  not; 
his  mercy  and  goodness,  that  it  is  not  worse ;  his 
sovereignty,  that  may  silence  you  ;  his  infinite  wis- 
dom and  love,  that  may  satisfy  you  in  it. 

3.  Consider  what  a  work  of  his  it  is,  how  it  is 
a  convincing  work,  for  bringing  sin  to  remem- 
brance ;  a  correcting  work,  to  chastise  you  for  your 
follies ;  a  preventing  work,  to  hedge  you  up  from 
courses  of  sin  you  would  otherwise  be  apt  to  run 
into ;  a  trying  work,  to  discover  your  state,  your 
graces,  and  corruptions  ;  a  weaning  work,  to  wean 
you  from  the  world  and  fit  you  for  heaven. 

4.  In  all  your  considerations  of  it  in  this  manner, 
look  upward  for  his  Spirit,  to  render  them  effectual, 
1  Cor.  iii.  G. — Thus  may  ye  behave  christianly  under 
it,  till  God  make  it  even  either  here  or  in  heaven. 


Prov.  xvi.  19. 

Better  it  is  to  le  of  cm  humble  spirit  with  the  lowly, 
than  to  divide  the  spoil  with  the  proud. 

Could  men  once  be  brought  to  believe,  that  it  is 
better  to  have  their  minds  bend  to  the  crook  in  their 
lot,  than  to  force  the  crook  to  their  mind*  they  would 
be  in  a  fair  way  to  bring  their  matters  to  a  good  ac- 
count. Hear  then  the  divine  decision  in  that  case  : 
*'  Better  it  is   to  be  of  an  humble  spirit  with  the 


84     THE  LOWLY  AND  THE  PROUD  CONTRASTED. 

lowly,  than  to  divide  the  spoil  with  the  proud."  In 
which  words, 

First.  There  is  a  comparison  instituted,  and  that 
between  two  parties,  and  two  points  wherein  they 
vastly  differ. 

1st.  The  parties  are  the  lowly  and  the  proud, 
who  differ  like  heaven  and  earth :  the  proud  are 
climbing  up  and  soaring  aloft ;  the  lowly  are  content 
to  creep  on  the  ground,  if  that  is  the  will  of  God. 
Let  us  view  them  more  particularly  as  the  text  re- 
presents them. 

On  the  one  hand  is  the  lowly.  Here  there  is  a 
line-reading  and  a  marginal,  both  from  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  they  differ  only  in  a  letter.  The  former 
is  the  afflicted  or  poor,  that  are  low  in  their  condi- 
tion ;  those  that  have  a  notable  crook  in  their  lot 
through  affliction  laid  on  them,  whereby  their  condi- 
tion is  lowered  in  the  World.  The  other  is  the  lowly 
or  meek  humble  ones,  who  are  low  in  their  spirit,  as 
^vell  as  their  condition,  and  so  have  their  minds 
brought  down  to  their  lot.  Both  together  making 
the  character  of  this  lowly  party. 

On  the  other  hand  is  the  proud ;  the  gay  and  high 
minded  ones.  It  is  supposed  here  that  they  are 
crossed  too,  and  have  crooks  in  their  lot;  for,  di- 
vinding  the  spoil  is  the  consequent  of  a  victory,  and  a 
victory  presupposes  a  battle. 

2nd.  The  points  wherein  these  parties  are  sup- 
posed to  differ,  viz :  being  of  a  humble  spirit,  and 
dividing  the  spoil. 

Afflicted  and  lowly  ones  may  sometimes  get  their 
condition  changed,  may  be  raised  up  on  high,  and 
divide  the  spoil,  as  Hannah,  Job,  <fec.  The  proud 
may  sometimes  be  thrown  down  and  crushed,  as 
Pharaoh,  Nebuchadnezzar,  <fec.  But  that  is  not  the 
question,  Whether  it  is  better  to  be  raised  up  with 


THE  PREFERENCE  GIVEN  TO  THE  LOWLY.  85 

the  lowly,  or  thrown  down  with  the  proud  ?  There 
would  be  no  difficulty  in  determining  that.  But  the 
question  is,  Whether  it  is  better  to  be  of  a  low  and 
humble  spirit,  in  low  circumstances,  with  afflicted 
humble  ones;  or  to  divide  the  spoil,  and  get  one's 
will,  with  the  proud  ?  If  men  would  speak  the  na- 
tive sentiments  of  their  hearts,  that  question  would 
be  determined  in  a  contradiction  to  the  text.  The 
points  then  here  compared  and  set  one  against 
another,  are  these : 

On  the  one  hand,  to  be  of  a  humble  spirit  with 
afflicted  lowly  ones.  (Heb.)  To  be  low  of  spirit; 
for  the  word  primarily  denotes  lowness  in  situation 
or  state :  so  the  point  here  proposed  is  to  be  with, 
or  in  the  state  of,  afflicted  lowly  ones,  having  the 
spirit  brought  down  to  that  low  lot;  the  lowness 
of  the  spirit  balancing  the  lowness  of  one's  condi- 
tion. 

On  the  other  hand  to  divide  the  spoil  with  the 
proud.  The  point  here  proposed  is,  to  be  with  or 
in  the  state  of  the  proud,  having  their  lot  by  main 
force  brought  to  their  mind;  as  those  who,  taking 
•themselves  to  be  injured,  fight  it  out  with  the  enemy, 
overcome  and  divide  the  spoil  according  to  their 
will. 

Secondly.  The  decision  made,  wherein  the  former 
is  preferred  to  the  latter;  "  Better  is  it  to  be  of  an 
humble  spirit  with  the  lowly  than  to  divide  the  spoil 
with  the  proud."  If  these  two  parties  were  set 
before  us,  it  were  better  to  take  our  lot  with  those  of 
a  low  condition,  who  have  their  spirits  brought  as 
low  as  their  lot,  than  with  those,  who,  being  of  a 
proud  and  high  spirit,  have  their  lot  brought  up  to 
their  mind.  A  humble  spirit  is  better  than  a  height- 
ened condition. 


86  THE  LOWLY  RARELY  TO  BE  FOUND 

DocT.  There  is  a  generation  of  loivly  afflicted  ones, 
having  their  spirit  lowered  and  brought  dow7i  to 
their  lot ;  tvhose  case,  in  that  respect,  is  better  than 
that  of  the  proud  getting  their  will,  and  carrying 
all  to  their  mind. 

I.  We  shall  consider  the  generation  of  the  lowly 
afflicted  ones,  having  their  spirit  brought  down  to 
their  lot.     And  we  shall, 

First.  Lay  down  some  general  considerations 
about  them. 

1.  There  is  such  a  generation  in  the  world,  bad  as 
the  world  is.  The  text  expressly  mentions  them, 
and  the  scripture  elsewhere  speaks  of  them ;  as 
Psal.  ix.  12.  and  x.  12.  Mattli.  v.  3.  with  Luke  vi. 
20.  Where  shall  we  seek  them  1  Not  in  heaven, 
there  are  no  afflicted  ones  there ;  nor  in  hell,  there 
are  no  lowly  or  humble  ones  there,  whose  spirit  is 
brought  to  their  lot.  Li  this  world  they  must  then 
be,  where  the  state  of  trial  is. 

2.  If  it  were  not  so,  Christ,  as  he  was  in  the  world, 
would  have  no  followers  in  it.  He  was  the  head  of 
that  generation  whom  they  all  copy  after;  "Learn 
of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  of  heart."  Matt, 
xi.  29.  And  for  his  honour,  and  the  honour  of  his 
cross,  they  wUl  never  be  wanting  while  the  world 
stands,  Rom.  viii.  29.  "  Whom  he  did  foreknow  he 
also  did  predestinate  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of 
his  Son,"  His  image  lies  in  these  two,  suffering  and 
holiness,  whereof  lowliness  is  a  chief  part. 

3.  Nevertheless,  they  are  certainly  very  rare  in  the 
world.  Agur  observes,  that  there  is  another  gene- 
ration, (Prov.  xxx.  13.  "  Their  eyes  are  lofty,  and 
their  eye-lids  lifted  up,")  quite  opposite  to  them,  and 
this  makes  the  greatest  company  by  far.  The  low 
and  afflicted  lot  is  not  so  very  rare,  but  the  lowly 


SOME  MORE  LOWLY  THAN  OTHERS.  87 

disposition  of  spirit  is  rarely  yoked  with  it.  Many 
a  high  spirit  keeps  up  in  spite  of  lowering  circum- 
stances. 

4.  They  can  be  no  more  in  number  than  the  truly 
godly ;  for  nothing  less  than  the  power  of  divine 
grace  can  bring  down  men's  minds  from  their  native 
height,  and  make  their  will  pliant  to  the  will  of  God. 
2  Cor.  X.  4,  5.  Men  may  put  on  a  face  of  submis- 
sion to  a  low  and  a  crossed  lot,  because  they  cannot 
help  it,  and  they  see  it  is  in  vain  to  strive :  but  to 
bring  the  spirit  truly  to  it,  must  be  the  effect  of 
humbling  grace. 

5.  Though  all  the  godly  are  of  that  generation, 
yet  there  are  some  of  them  to  whom  that  character 
more  especially  belongs.  The  way  to  heaven  lies 
through  tribulation  to  all,  Acts  xiv.  22;  and  all 
Christ's  followers  are  reconciled  to  it  notwithstand- 
ing, Luke  xvi.  26 ;  yet  there  are  some  of  them  more 
remarkably  disciplined  than  others,  whose  spirit  is 
hereby  humbled  and  brought  down  to  their  lot, 
Psal.  cxxxi.  2.  "  Surely  I  have  behaved  and  quieted 
myself  as  a  child  that  is  weaned  of  his  mother  ;  my 
soul  is  even  as  a  weaned  child."  Phil.  iv.  11,  12, 
*'  For  I  have  learned,  in  whatsoever  state  I  am, 
therewith  to  be  content.  I  know  both  how  to  be 
abased,  and  I  know  how  to  abound  :  every  where, 
and  in  all  things  I  am  instructed,  both  to  be  full  and 
to  be  hungry,  both  to  abound  and  to  suffer  need." 

6.  A  lowly  disposition  of  soul,  and  habitual  aim 
and  bent  of  the  heart  that  way,  has  a  very  favoura- 
ble construction  put  upon  it  in  heaven.  Should  we 
look  for  a  generation  perfectly  purged  of  pride  and 
risings  of  heart  against  their  adverse  lot  at  any  time, 
we  should  find  none  in  this  world ;  but  those  who 
are  sincerely  aiming  and  endeavouring  to  reach  it, 
and  keep  the  way  of  contented  submission,  though 


88  CHARACTER  OF  THE  LOWLY. 

sometimes  blown  aside,  and  returning  to  it  again,  God 
accounts  to  be  that  lowly  generation.  2  Cor.  vii.  10, 
11.  James  v.  11. 

Secondly.  We  shall  enter  into  particulars.  There 
are  three  things  which  together  make  up  their  cha- 
racter. 

1st.  Affliction  in  their  lot.  That  lowly  genera- 
tion, preferred  to  the  proud  and  prosperous,  is  a 
generation  of  afflicted  ones,  whom  God  keeps  under 
the  discipline  of  the  covenant.  We  may  take  it  up 
in  these  two  : 

1.  There  is  a  yoke  of  affliction  of  one  kind  or 
other  oftentimes  upon  them.  Psal.  Ixxiii.  14.  God 
is  frequently  visiting  them  as  a  master  doth  his 
scholars,  and  a  physician  his  patients  ;  whereas  others 
are  in  a  sort  overlooked  by  him.  Rev.  iii.  19.  They 
are  accustomed  to  the  yoke,  and  that  from  the  time 
they  enter  into  God's  family.  Psal.  cxxix.  1 — 3. 
God  sees  it  good  for  them.  Lam.  iii.  27,  28. 

2.  There  is  a  particular  yoke  of  affliction  which 
God  has  chosen  for  them,  that  hangs  about  them, 
and  is  sehlom,  if  ever,  taken  off  them.  Luke  ix.  23. 
That  is  their  special  trial,  the  crook  in  their  lot,  the 
yoke,  which  lies  on  them  for  their  constant  exercise. 
Their  other  trials  may  be  exchanged,  but  that  is  a 
weight  that  still  hangs  about  them,  bowing  them 
down. 

2dly.  Lowliness  in  their  disposition  and  tenour  of 
spirit.  They  are  a  generation  of  lowly  humble  ones, 
whose  spirits  God  has,  by  his  grace,  brought  down 
from  their  natural  height.     And  thus, 

1.  They  think  soberly  and  meanly  of  themselves  ; 
what  they  are,  2  Cor.  xii.  9,  10 ;  what  they  can  do; 
2  Cor.  iii.  5;  what  they  are  worth.  Gen.  xxxii.  10, 
and  what  they  deserve.  I^am.  iii.  22.  Viewing  them- 
selves in  the  glass  of  the  divine  law  and  perfection, 


CHARACTER  OF  THE  LOWLY.  89 

they  see  themselves  as  a  mass  of  imperfection  and  sin- 
fulness. Job.  5,  6. 

2.  They  think  highly  and  honourably  of  God. 
Psal.  cxlv.  3.  They  are  taught  by  the  Spirit  what 
God  is ;  and  so  entertain  elevated  thoughts  of  him. 
They  consider  him  as  the  Sovereign  of  the  world;  his 
perfections  as  infinite ;  his  work  as  perfect.  They 
look  on  him  as  the  fountain  of  happiness,  as  a  God 
in  Christ,  doing  all  things  well ;  trusting  his  wis- 
dom, goodness,  and  love,  even  where  they  cannot  see. 
Heb.  xi.  8. 

3.  They  think  favourably  of  others,  as  far  as  in 
justice,  they  may.  Phil.  ii.  3.  Though  they  cannot 
hinder  themselves  from  seeing  their  glaring  faults, 
yet  tJj^ey  are  ready  withal  to  acknowledge  their  ex- 
cellencies, and  esteem  them  so  far.  And,  because 
they  see  more  into  their  own  mercies  and  advan- 
tages for  holiness,  and  misimproving  thereof,  than 
they  can  see  into  others,  they  are  apt  to  look  on 
others  as  better  than  themselves,  circumstances 
compared. 

4.  They  are  sunk  down  into  a  state  of  subordina- 
tion to  God  and  his  will.  Psal.  cxxxi.  1,  2.  Pride 
sets  a  man  up  against  God,  lowliness  brings  him 
back  to  his  place,  and  lays  him  down  at  the  feet  of 
his  sovereign  Lord,  saying,  Thy  will  be  done  on 
earth,  &c. — They  seek  no  more  the  command,  but 
are  content  that  God  himself  sit  at  the  helm  of  their 
affairs,  and  manage  all  for  them,  Psal.  xlvii.  4. 

5.  They  are  not  bent  on  high  things,  but  dis- 
posed to  stoop  to  low'things.  Psal.  cxxxi.  1.  Low- 
liness levels  the  towering  imaginations,  which  pride 
mounts  up  against  heaven ;  draws  a  veil  over  all 
personal  worth  and  excellences  before  the  Lord ; 
and  yields  a  man's  all  to  the  Lord,  to  be  as  stepping- 
stones  to  the  throne  of  his  glory.  2  Sam.  xv.  25,  26. 


90  CHARACTER  OF  THE  LOWLY 

6.  They  are  apt  to  magnify  mercies  bestowed  on 
them.  Gen.  xxxii.  10.  Pride  of  heart  overlooks 
and  vilifies  mercies  one  is  possessed  of,  and  fixes  the 
eye  on  what  is  wanting  in  one's  condition,  making 
one  like  the  flies,  which  pass  over  the  sound  places, 
and  swarm  together  on  the  sore.  On  the  contrary, 
lowliness  teaches  men  to  recount  the  mercies  they 
enjoy  in  the  lowest  condition,  and  to  set  a  mark  on 
the  good  things  they  have  possessed,  or  yet  do.  Job. 
ii.  10. 

3dly.  A  spirit  brought  down  to  their  lot.  Their 
lot  is  a  low  and  afilicted  one ;  but  their  spirit  is  as 
low,  being,  through  grace,  brought  down  to  it.  We 
may  take  it  up  in  these  five  things  : 

1.  They  submit  to  it  as  just,  Mic.  vii.  9.  *J|J  will 
bear  the  indignation  of  the  Lord,  because  I  have 
sinned  against  him."  There  are  no  hardships  in 
our  condition,  but  we  have  procured  them  to  our- 
selves ;  and  it  is  therefore  just  that  we  kiss  the  rod, 
and  be  silent  under  it,  and  so  lower  our  spirits  to  our 
lot.  If  they  complain,  it  is  of  themselves;  their 
hearts  rise  not  up  against  the  lord,  far  less  do  they 
open  their  mouth  against  the  heavens.  They  justify 
God,  and  condemn  themselves,  reverencing  his  holi- 
ness and  spodess  righteousness  in  his  proceedings 
against  them. 

2.  They  go  quietly  under  it  as  tolerable,  Lam.  iii. 
26 — 29.  "It  is  good  that  a  man  should  both  hope 
and  quietly  wait  for  the  salvation  of  the  Lord.  It 
is  good  for  a  man  that  he  bear  the  yoke  in  his  youth. 
He  sitteth  alone,  and  keepeth  silence,  because  he 
hath  borne  it  upon  him ;  he  putteth  his  mouth  in  the 
dust,  if  so  be  there  may  be  hope."  While  the  un- 
subdued spirit  rages  under  the  yoke  as  a  bullock 
unaccustomed  to  it,  the  spirit  brought  to  the  lot, 
goes  softly  under  it.     They  see  it  is  of  the  Lord's 


CHARACTER  OF  THE  LOWLY.  91 

mercies  that  it  is  not  worse ;  they  take  up  the  naked 
cross,  as  God  lays  it  down,  without  those  over- 
weights upon  it  that  turbulent  passions  add  there- 
unto ;  and  so  it  becomes  really  more  easy  than  they 
thought  it  could  have  been,  like  a  burden  fitted  on 
the  back. 

3.  They  are  satisfied  in  it,  as  drawing  their  com- 
fort from  another  quarter  than  their  outward  condi- 
tion, even  as  the  house  stands  fast,  when  the  prop  is 
taken  away  that  it  did  not  lean  upon.  "  Although 
the  fig-tree  should  not  blossom,  neither  fruit  be  in 
the  vine, — yet  I  will  rejoice  in  the  Lord."  Hab.  iii. 
17,  18.  Thus  did  David  in  the  day  of  his  distress, 
"  He  encouraged  himself  in  the  Lord  his  God." 
1  Sam.  XXX.  6.  It  is  an  argument  of  a  spirit  not 
brought  down  to  the  lot,  when  men  are  damped  and 
sunk  under  the  hardships  of  it,  as  if  their  condition 
in  the  world  were  the  point  whereon  their  happiness 
turned.  It  is  want  of  mortification  that  makes  men's 
comforts  to  wax  and  wane,  ebb  and  flow,  accord- 
ing to  the  various  appearances  of  their  lot  in  the 
world. 

4.  'jfhey  have  a  complacency  in  it,  as  that  which  is 
fit  antl  good  for  them.  Isa.  xxxix.  8.  2  Cor.  xii.  10. 
Men  have  a  sort  of  complacency  in  the  working  of 
physic,  though  it  gripes  them  sore ;  they  rationally 
think  with  themselves  that  it  is  good  and  best  for 
them :  so  these  lowly  souls  consider  their  afflicted 
lot  as  a  spiritual  medicine,  necessary,  fit,  and  good 
for  them ;  yea,  best  for  them  for  the  time,  since  it 
is  ministered  by  their  heavenly  Father;  and  so 
they  reach  a  holy  complacency  in  their  low  afflicted 
lot. 

The  lowly  spirit  extracts  this  sweet  out  of  the 
bitterness  in  his  lot,  considering  how  the  Lord,  by 
means  of  that  afflicting  lot,  stops  the  provision  for 
10 


92  CHARACTFR  OF  THE  PROUD. 

unruly  lusts,  tliat  they  may  be  starved:  how  he  cuts 
off  the  by-channels,  that  the  whole  stream  of  the 
soul's  love  may  run  towards  himself;  how  he  pulls 
off,  and  holds  ofi^  the  man's  burden  and  clog  of 
earthly  comforts,  that  he  may  run  the  more  expedi- 
tiously in  the  way  to  heaven. 

5.  They  rest  in  it,  as  what  they  desire  not  to  come 
out  of,  till  the  God  that  brought  them  into  it,  see  it 
meet  to  bring  them  out  with  his  good  will.  Isa. 
xxviii.  16.  Though  an  unsubdued  spirit's  time  for 
deliverance  is  always  ready,  a  humble  soul  will  be 
afraid  of  being  taken  out  of  its  afflicted  lot  too  soon. 
It  will  not  be  for  moving  for  a  change,  till  the  heaven's 
moving  bring  it  about;  so  this  hinders  not  prayer, 
and  the  use  of  appointed  means,  with  dependence  on 
the  Lord;  but  requires  faith,  hope,  patience,  and 
resignation.    2  Sam.  xv.  25,  26. 

II.  We  shall  consider  the  generation  of  the  proud 
getting  their  will,  and  carrying  all  to  their  mind. 
And  in  their  character  also  are  three  things. 

First,  There  are  crosses  in  their  lot.  They  also 
have  their  trials  allotted  them  by  overruling  pro- 
vidence, and  let  them  be  in  what  circumstances  they 
will  in  the  world,  they  cannot  miss  them  altogether. 
For  consider, 

1.  The  confusion  and  vanity  brought  into  the  crea- 
tion by  man's  sin,  have  made  it  impossible  to  get 
through  the  world,  but  men  must  meet  with  what 
will  ruffle  them.  Etcles.  i.  14.  Sin  has  turned  the 
world  from  a  paradise  into  a  thicket,  there  is  no 
getting  through  without  being  scratched.  As  midges 
in  the  summer  will  fly  about  those  walking  abroad 
in  a  goodly  attire,  as  well  as  about  those  in  sordid 
apparel ;  so  will  crosses  in  the  world  meet  with  the 
high  as  well  as  the  low. 

2.  The  pride  of  their  heart  exposes  them  partieu- 


CHARACTER  OF  THE  PROUD.  93 

larly  to  crosses.  A  proud  heart  will  make  a  cross  to 
itself,  where  a  lowly  soul  would  find  none.  Eslh.  v. 
13.  It  will  make  a  real  cross  ten  times  the  weight 
it  would  be  to  the  humble.  The  generation  of  the 
proud  are  like  nettles  and  thorn  hedges,  upon  which 
things  flying  about  do  fix,  while  they  pass  over  low 
and  plain  things;  so  none  are  more  exposed  to 
crosses  than  they,  though  none  so  unfit  to  bear  them ; 
as  appears  from, 

Secondly,  Reigning  pride  in  their  spirit.  Their 
spirits  were  never  subdued  by  a  work  of  thorough 
humiliation,  they  remain  at  the  height  in  which  the 
corruption  of  nature  placed  them:  hence  they  can 
by  no  means  bear  the  yoke  God  lays  on  them.  The 
neck  is  swollen  with  the  ill  humours  of  pride  and 
passion;  hence,  when  the  yoke  once  begins  to  touch 
it,  they  cannot  have  any  more  ease.  We  may  view 
the  case  of  the  proud  generation  here  in  three  things. 

1.  They  have  an  over-value  for  themselves;  and 
so  will  not  stoop  to  the  yoke;  it  is  below  them. 
What  a  swelling  vanity  is  in  that,  Exod.  v.  2.  "  Who 
is  the  Lord  that  I  should  obey  his  voice?"  Hence 
a  work  of  humiliation  is  necessary  to  make  one  take 
on  the  yoke,  whether  of  Christ's  precepts  or  pro- 
vidence. The  first  error  is  in  the  understanding; 
whence  Solomon  ordinarily  calls  a  wicked  man  a 
fool;  accordingly  the  first  stroke  in  conversion  is 
there  too,  by  conviction  to  humble.  Men  are  bigger 
in  their  own  conceit,  than  they  are  indeed;  therefore 
God,  suiting  things  to  what  we  are  really,  cannot 
please  us. 

2.  They  have  an  unmortified  self-will,  arising 
from  that  over-value  for  themselves,  and  they  will 
not  stoop.  Exod.  v.  2.  The  question  betwixt  Heaven 
and  us  is,  whether  God's  will  or  our  own  must  pre- 
vail?    Our  will  is  corrupt,  God's  will  is  holy;  they 


94  CHARACTER  OF  THE  PROUD. 

cannot  agree  in  one.  God  says  in  his  providence, 
our  will  must  yield  to  his;  but  that  it  will  not  do, 
till  the  iron  sinew  in  it  be  broken.  Rom.  viii.  7. 
Isa.  xlviii.  4. 

3.  They  have  a  crowd  of  unsubdued  passions 
taking  part  with  self-will;  and  they  say,  He  shall 
not  stoop,  Rom.  vii.  8,  9;  and  so  the  war  begins, 
and  there  is  a  field  of  battle  within  and  without  the 
man.   James  iv.  1. 

A  holy  God  crosses  the  self-will  of  proud  crea- 
tures by  his  providence,  overruling  and  disposing  of 
things  contrary  to  their  inclination;  sometimes  by 
his  own  immediate  hand,  as  in  the  case  of  Cain. 
Gen.  iv.  4,  5;  sometimes  by  the  hand  of  men  carry- 
ing things  against  their  mind,  as  in  the  case  of  Ahab, 
to  whom  Naboth  refused  his  vineyard.   1  Kings  xxi.  4. 

The  proud  heart  and  will,  unable  to  submit  to  the 
cross,  or  to  bear  to  be  controlled,  rises  up  against 
it,  and  fights  for  the  mastery,  with  its  whole  force  of 
unmortified  passions.  The  design  is  to  remove  the 
cross,  even  the  crook,  and  bring  the  thing  to  their 
own  mind:  this  is  the  cause  of  this  unholy  war,  in 
which, 

(1.)  There  is  one  black  band  of  hellish  passions 
that  marches  upwards,  and  makes  an  attack  on  hea- 
ven itself,  namely,  discontent,  impatience,  murmur- 
ing, frettings,  and  the  hke.  "  The  foolishness  of 
man  pervertelh  his  way;  and  his  heart  fretteth 
against  the  Lord."  Prov.  xix.  3.  These  fire  the 
breast,  fall  the  countenance.  Gen.  iv.  6,  let  off  some- 
times a  volley  of  indecent  and  passionate  complaints, 
Jude,  ver.  16,  and  sometimes  of  blasphemies,  2  Kings 
vi.  33. 

(2.)  There  is  another  that  marches  forward,  and 
makes  an  attack  on  the  instrument  or  instruments  of 
the  cross,  namely,  anger,  wrath,  fury,  revenge,  bitter- 


THE  pftoUD  IN  PROSPERITY.  95 

ness,  (fee.  Prov.  xxvii.  4.  These  carry  the  man  out  of 
the  possession  of  himself,  Luke  xxi.  19.  fill  the  heart 
with  a  boiling  heat,  Psa.  xxxix.  3.  the  mouth  with 
clamour  and  evil-speaking,  Eph.  iv.  31.  and  threat- 
enings  are  breathed  out;  Acts  ix.  1.  and  sometimes 
set  the  hands  on  work,  a  most  heavy  event,  as  in  the 
case  of  Ahab  against  Naboth. 

Thus  the  proud  carry  on  the  war,  but  oftentimes 
they  lose  the  day,  and  the  cross  remains  immovable 
for  all  they  can  do;  yea,  and  sometimes  they  them- 
selves fall  in  the  quarrel,  it  ends  in  their  ruin.  Exod. 
XV.  9,  10.  But  that  is  not  the  case  in  the  text.  For 
we  are  to  consider  them  as, 

Thirdly,  Getting  their  will,  and  carrying  all  to 
their  mind.     This  speaks, 

1.  Holy  providence  yielding  to  the  man's  unmor- 
tified  self-will,  and  letting  it  go  according  to  his 
mind.  Gen.  vi.  3.  God  sees  it  meet  to  let  the 
struggle  with  him  fall,  for  it  prevails  not  to  his 
good.  Isa.  i.  5.  So  the  reins  are  laid  on  the  proud 
man's  neck,  and  he  has  what  he  would  be  at; 
"  Ephraim  is  joined  to  idols,  let  him  alone."  Hos. 
iv.  17. 

2.  The  lust  remaining  in  its  strength  and  vigour, 
Psa.  Ixxviii.  30.  "  They  were  not  estranged  from 
their  lust."  God,  in  the  method  of  his  covenant 
sometimes  gives  his  people  their  will,  and  sets  them 
where  they  would  be;  but  then,  in  that  case,  the 
lust  for  the  thing  is  mortified,  and  they  are  as 
weaned  children.  Psal.  x.  17.  But  here  the  lust 
remains  rampant:  the  proud  seek  meat  for  it,  and 
get  it. 

3.  The  cross  removed,  the  yoke  taken  off.  Psal. 
Ixxviii.  29.  They  could  not  think  of  bringing  their 
mind  to  their  lot;  but  they  thwarted  with  it,  wrestled 
and  fought  against  it,  till  it  is  brought  up  to  their 

10* 


96  DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TEXT  CONFIRMED. 

mind:  so  the  day  is  their  own,  the  victory  is  on  their 
side. 

4.  The  man  is  pleased  in  his  having  carried  his 
point,  even  as  one  is  when  he  is  dividing  the  spoil. 
1  Kings  xxi.  18,  19. 

Thus  the  case  of  the  afflicted  lowly  generation,  and 
the  proud  generation  prospering,  is  stated.     Now, 

III.  I  am  to  confirm  the  doctrine,  or  the  decision 
of  the  text.  That  the  case  of  the  former  is  better  than 
that  of  the  latter.  It  is  better  to  be  in  a  low  afflicted 
condition,  with  the  spirit  humble  and  brought  down 
to  the  lot,  than  to  be  of  a  proud  and  high  spirit, 
getting  the  lot  brought  up  to  it,  and  matters  go  ac- 
cording to  one's  mind.  This  will  appear  from  the 
following  considerations. 

1.  Humility  is  so  far  preferable  to  pride,  that  in 
no  circumstances  whatsoever  its  preferableness  can 
fail.  Let  all  the  afflictions  in  the  world  attend  the 
humble  spirit,  and  all  the  prosperity  in  the  world 
attend  pride,  humility  will  still  have  the  better:  as 
gold  in  a  dunghill  is  more  excellent  than  so  much 
lead  in  a  cabinet,  For, 

(1.)  Humility  is  a  part  of  the  image  of  God.  Pride 
is  the  master-piece  of  the  image  of  the  devil.  Let 
us  view  him  who  was  the  express  image  of  the  Fa- 
ther's person,  and  we  shall  behold  him  meek  and 
lowly  in  heart.  Matt.  xi.  29.  None  more  afflicted, 
yet  his  spirit  perfectly  brought  down  to  his  lot,  Isa. 
liii.  7.  *'  He  was  oppressed,  and  he  was  afflicted, 
yet  he  opened  not  his  mouth."  That  is  a  shining 
part  of  the  divine  image:  for  though  God  cannot  be 
low  in  respect  of  his  state  and  condition,  yet  he  is  of 
infinite  condescension,  Isa.  Ivii.  15.  None  bears  as 
he,  Rom.  ii.  4,  nor  suffers  patiently  so  much  contra- 
diction to  his  will;  which  is  proposed  to  us  for  our 
encouragement  in  affliction,  as  it  shone  in  Christ. 


DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TEXT  CONFIRMED.  97 

"  For  consider  him  that  endured  such  contradiction 
of  sinners  against  himself,  lest  ye  be  wearied  and 
faint  in  your  minds."    Heb.  xii.  8. 

Pride,  on  the  other  hand,  is  the  very  image  of  the 
devil.  1  Tim.  iii.  6.  Shall  we  value  ourselves  on 
the  height  of  our  spirits?  Satan  will  vie  with  the 
highest  of  us  in  that  point;  for  though  he  is  the 
most  miserable,  yet  he  is  the  proudest  in  the  whole 
creation.  There  is  the  greatest  distance  between 
his  spirit  and  his  lot;  the  former  is  as  high  as  the 
throne  of  God,  the  latter  as  low  as  hell:  and  as  it  is 
impossible  that  ever  his  lot  should  be  brought  up  to 
his  spirit;  so  his  spirit  will  never  come  down  to  his 
lot:  and  therefore  he  will  be  eternally  in  a  state  of 
war  with  his  lot.  Hence,  even  at  this  time,  he  has 
no  rest,  but  goes  about,  seeks  rest  indeed,  but  finds 
none. 

Now,  is  it  not  better  to  be  like  God  than  like  the 
devil;  like  him  who  is  the  fountain  of  all  good,  than 
him  who  is  the  spring  and  sink  of  all  evil?  Can  any 
thing  possibly  cast  the  balance  here,  and  turn  the 
preference  to  the  other  side?  "  Then  better  it  is  to 
be  of  an  humble  spirit  with  the  lowly,"  &c. 

(2.)  Humility  and  lowliness  of  spirit  qualify  us 
for  friendly  communion  and  intercourse  with  God  in 
Christ.  Pride  makes  God  our  enemy.  1  Pet.  v.  5. 
Our  happiness  here  and  hereafter  depends  on  our 
friendly  intercourse  with  Heaven.  If  we  have  not 
that,  nothing  can  make  up  our  loss.  Psal.  xxx.  5. 
If  we  have  that,  nothing  can  make  us  miserable, 
Rom.  viii.  31.  "  If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be 
against  us?"  Now,  who  are  they  whom  God  is  for, 
but  the  humble  and  lowly?  they  who  being  in  Christ 
are  so  made  like  him.  He  blesses  them,  and  de- 
clares them  the  heirs  of  the  crown  of  glory :  "  Blessed 
are  the  poor  in  spirit,  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of 


98  DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TEXT  CONFIRMED. 

heaven."  Matt.  v.  3.  He  will  look  to  them,  be  their 
condition  ever  so  low,  while  he  overlooks  others. 
Isa.  Ixvi.  2.  He  will  have  respect  to  them,  how- 
ever they  be  despised:  "  Though  the  Lord  be  high, 
yet  hath  he  respect  to  the  lowly;  but  the  proud  he 
knoweth  afar  off."  Psal.  cxxxviii.  6.  He  will  dwell 
with  them,  however  poorly  they  dwell.  Isa.  Ivii.  15. 
He  will  certainly  exalt  them  in  due  time,  however 
low  they  lie  now.    Isa.  xl.  4. 

Whom  is  he  against?  Whom  does  he  resist? 
The  proud.  Them  he  curselh,  Jer.  xvii.  5.  and  that 
curse  will  dry  up  their  arm  at  length.  The  proud 
man  is  God's  rival;  he  makes  himself  his  own  god, 
and  would  have  those  about  him  make  him  theirs 
too;  he  rages,  he  blusters,  if  they  will  not  fall  down 
before  him.  But  God  will  bring  him  down.  Isa. 
xl.  4.  Psal.  xviii.  27. 

Now,  is  it  not  better  to  be  qualified  for  commu- 
nion with  God,  than  to  have  him  engaged  against  us, 
at  any  rate  ? 

(3.)  Humility  is  a  duty  pleasing  to  God,  pride  a 
sin  pleasing  to  the  devil.  Isa.  Ivii.  15;  1  Tim.  iii.  6. 
God  requires  us  to  be  humble,  especially  under 
affliction,  "  and  be  clothed  with  humihty."  I  Pet. 
v.  5,  6.  That  is  our  becoming  garment.  The  hum- 
ble publican  was  accepted,  the  proud  pharisee  re- 
jected. We  may  say  of  the  generation  of  the  proud, 
as  1  Thess.  ii.  16.  "  Wrath  is  come  upon  them 
to  the  uttermost."  They  please  neither  God  nor 
men,  but  only  themselves  and  satan,  whom  they 
resemble  in  it.  Now  duty  is  better  than  sin  at 
any  rate. 

2.  They  whose  spirits  are  brought  down  to 
their  afflicted  lot,  have  much  quiet  and  repose  of 
mind,  while  the  proud,  that  must  have  their  lot 
brought   up    to   their    mind,   have    much  disquiet, 


DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TEXT  CONFIRMED.  99 

trouble,  and  vexation.  Consider  here,  that,  on  the 
one  hand, 

Quiet  of  mind,  and  ease  within,  is  a  great  bless- 
ing, upon  which  the  comfort  of  life  depends.  No- 
thing without  this  can  make  one's  life  happy.  Dan. 
V.  6.  And  where  this  is  maintained,  nothing  can 
make  it  miserable.  John  xvi.  33.  This  being  se- 
cured in  God,  there  is  a  defiance  bid  to  all  the 
trouj||les  of  the  world.  Psal.  xlvi.  2,  3,  like  the  child 
sailing  in  the  midst  of  the  rolling  waves. 

The  spirit  brought  down  to  the  lot  makes  and 
maintains  this  inward  tranquillity.  Our  whole  trou- 
ble in  our  lot  in  the  world  rises  from  the  disagree- 
ment of  our  mind  therewith ;  let  the  mind  be  brought 
to  the  lot,  and  the  whole  tumult  is  instantly  hushed; 
let  it  be  kept  in  that  disposition,  and  the  man  shall 
stand  at  ease, in  his  affliction,  like  a  rock  unmoved 
with  waters  beating  on  it,  Col.  iii.  15.  "And  let 
the  peace  of  God  rule  in  your  hearts,  to  the  which 
also  ye  are  called." 

On  the  other  hand,  consider, 

What  disquiet  of  mind  the  proud  suffer  ere  they 
can  get  their  lot  brought  up  to  their  mind.  "  They 
have  taught  their  tongues  to  speak  lies,  and  they 
weary  themselves  to  commit  iniquity."  Jer.  ix.  5. 
James  iv.  2.  "  Ye  lust,  and  have  not;  ye  kill,  and 
desire  to  have,  and  cannot  obtain ;  ye  fight  and  war, 
yet  ye  have  not."  What  arrows  of  grief  go  through 
their  heart!  what  torture  of  anxiety,  fretting,  and 
vexation,  must  they  endure!  what  contrary  passions 
fight  within  them !  and  what  sallies  of  passions  do 
they  make!  what  uneasiness  vvas  Haman  in,  before 
he  could  carry  the  point  of  revenge  against  Mordecai, 
obtaining  the  king's  decree! 

When  the  thing  is  got  to  their  mind,  it  will  not 
quit  the  cost.     The  enjoyment  thereof  brings  not  so 


100       DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TEXT  CONFIRMED. 

much  satisfaction  and  pleasure,  as  the  want  of  it 
gave  pain.  This  was  evident  in  Rachel's  case,  as 
to  the  having  of  children;  and  in  that  case,  Psal, 
Ixxviii.  30,  31.  There  is  a  dead  fly  in  the  ointment 
that  mars  the  savour  they  expected  to  find  in  it. 
Fruit  plucked  off  the  tree  of  providence,  ere  it  is 
ripe,  will  readily  set  the  teeth  on  edge.  It  proves 
like  the  manna  kept  over  night.    Exod.  xvi.  20. 

They  have  but  an  unsure  hold  of  it;  it  dotl^not 
last  with  them.  Either  it  is  taken  from  them  soon, 
and  they  are  just  where  they  were  again:  "  I  gave 
thee  a  king  in  my  anger,  and  took  him  away  in  my 
wrath."  Hos.  xiii.  11.  having  a  root  of  pride,  it 
quickly  withers  away;  or  else  they  are  taken  from 
it,  that  they  have  no  access  to  enjoy  it.  So  Haman 
obtained  the  decree ;  but  ere  the  day  of  the  execution 
came,  he  was  gone. 

3.  They  that  get  their  spirit  brought  down  to  their 
afflicted  lot,  gain  a  point  far  more  valuable  than 
they  who  in  their  pride  force  up  their  lot  to  their 
mind.  Prov.  xvi.  32.  "  He  that  is  slow  in  anger,  is 
better  than  the  mighty;  and  he  that  ruleth  his  spirit, 
than  he  that  taketh  a  city."  This  will  appear,  if 
you  consider, 

(1.)  The  latter  makes  but  a  better  condition  in  out- 
ward things,  the  former  makes  a  better  man.  The  life 
is  more  than  meat. — The  man  himself  is  more  valua- 
ble than  all  external  conveniences  that  attend  him. 
What  therefore  betters  the  man  is  preferable  to  what 
betters  only  his  condition.  Who  doubts  but  where 
two  are  sick,  and  the  one  gets  himself  transported 
from  a  coarse  bed  to  a  fine  one,  the  sickness  still 
remaining;  the  other  lies  still  in  the  coarse  bed,  but 
the  sickness  is  removed ;  that  the  case  of  the  latter  is 
preferable  ?     So  here,  &c. 

(2.)  The  subduing  of  our  own  passions  is  more 


IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  SUBJECT.  101 

excellent  than  to  have  the  whole  world  subdued  to  our 
will:  for  then  we  are  masters  of  ourselves,  according 
to  that.  Luke  xxi.  19.  Whereas,  in  the  other  case, 
we  are  still  slaves  to  the  worst  of  masters.  Rom.  vi. 
16.  In  the  one  case  we  are  safe,  blow  what  storm 
will;  in  the  other  we  lie  exposed  to  thousands  of 
dangers,  Prov.  xxv.  28.  "  He  that  hath  no  rule  over 
his  own  spirit,  is  like  a  city  that  is  broken  down, 
and  without  walls." 

(3.)  When  both  shall  come  to  be  judged,  it  will 
appear  the  one  has  multiplied  the  tale  of  their  good 
works,  in  bringing  their  spirit  to  their  lot;  the  other, 
the  tale  of  their  ill  works,  in  bringing  their  lot  to 
their  spirit.  We  have  to  do  with  an  omniscient 
God,  in  whose  eyes  every  internal  action  is  a  work, 
good  or  bad,  to  be  reckoned  for.    Rom.  ii.  16. 

An  afflicted  lot  is  painful,  but,  where  it  is  well 
managed,  it  is  very  fruitful ;  it  exercises  the  graces 
of  the  Spirit  in  a  Christian,  which  otherwise  would 
lie  dormant.  But  there  is  never  an  act  of  resignation 
to  the  will  of  God  under  the  cross,  nor  an  act  of 
trusting  in  him  for  his  help,  but  they  will  be  recorded 
in  heaven's  register  as  good  works.  Mai.  iii.  16. 
And  these  are  occasioned  by  affliction. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  is  never  a  rising  of  the 
proud  heart  against  the  lot,  nor  a  faithless  attempt  to 
bring  it  to  our  mind,  whether  it  succeed  or  not,  but 
it  passes  for  an  ill  work  before  God.  How  then  will 
the  tale  of  such  be  multiplied  by  the  war  in  which 
the  spoil  is  divided ! 

Use  1.  Of  information.     Hence  we  may  learn, 

1.  It  is  not  always  best  for  folks  to  get  their  will. 
Many  there  are  who  cannot  be  pleased  with  God's 
will  about  them,  and  they  get  their  own  will  with  a 
vengeance,  Psal.  Ixxxi.  11,  12.  "  Israel  would  none 
of  me,  so  I  gave  them  up  to  their  own  hearts'  lust; 


102  IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  SUBJECT. 

and  thev  walked  in  their  own  counsels."  It  may  be 
most  pleasant  and  grateful  for  the  time,  but  it  is  not 
the  safest.  Let  not  the  people  pride  themselves  in 
their  carrying  things  that  way  then  by  a  strong 
hand;  let  them  not  triumph  in  such  victory:  the 
after-reckoning  will  open  their  eyes. 

2.  The  afflicted  crossed  party,  whose  lot  is  kept 
low,  is  so  far  from  being  a  loser,  that  he  is  a  gainer 
thereby,  if  his  spirit  is  brought  down  to  it.  And  if 
he  will  see  things  in  the  light  of  God's  unerring 
word,  he  is  in  better  case  than  if  he  had  got  all  car- 
ried to  his  mind.  In  the  one  way  the  vessels  of 
wrath  are  fitted  for  destruction.  Psal.  Ixxviii.  29 — 
31.  In  the  other,  the  vessels  of  mercy  are  fitted  for 
glory,  and  so  God  disciplines  his  own.    Lam.  iii.  27. 

3.  It  is  better  to  yield  to  Providence  than  to  fight 
it  out,  though  we  should  win.  Yielding  to  the  sove- 
reign disposal  is  both  our  becoming  duty  and  our 
greatest  interest.  Taking  that  way,  we  act  most 
honourably ;  for  what  honour  can  there  be  in  the 
creature's  disputing  his  ground  with  his  Creator? 
and  we  act  most  wisely ;  for  whatever  may  be  the 
success  of  some  battles  in  that  case,  we  may  be  sure 
victory  will  be  on  Heaven's  side  in  the  war,  1  Sam. 
ii.  9.    "  For,  by  strength  shall  no  man  prevail." 

4.  It  is  of  so  much  greater  concern  for  us  to  get 
our  spirits  brought  down  than  our  outward  condition 
raised.  But  who  believes  this?  All  men  strive  to 
raise  their  outward  condition;  most  men  never  mind 
the  bringing  down  of  their  spirits,  and  few  there  are 
who  apply  themselves  to  it.  And  what  is  that  but 
to  be  concerned  to  minister  drink  to  the  thirsty  sick, 
but  never  to  mind  to  seek  a  cure  for  them,  whereby 
their  thirst  may  be  carried  oflf. 

Use  2.  Of  exhortation.  As  you  meet  with  crosses 
in  your  lot  in  the  world,  let  your  desire  be  rather  to 


IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  SUBJECT.  103 

have  your  spirit  humbled  and  brought  down,  than 
to  get  the  cross  removed.  I  mean  not  but  that  you 
may  use  all  lawful  means  for  the  removal  of  your 
cross,  in  dependence  on  God;  but  only  that  you  be 
more  concerned  to  get  your  spirit  to  bow  and  ply, 
than  to  get  the  crook  in  your  lot  evened. 

Motive  1.  It  is  far  more  needful  for  us  to  have  our 
spirits  humbled  under  the  cross,  than  to  have  the 
cross  removed.  The  removal  of  the  cross  is  needful 
only  for  the  ease  of  the  flesh,  the  humbling  for  the 
profit  of  our  souls,  to  purify  them,  and  bring  them 
into  a  state  of  health  and  cure. 

2.  The  humbling  of  the  spirit  will  have  a  mighty 
good  effect  on  a  crossed  lot,  but  the  removal  of  the 
cross  will  have  none  on  the  unhumbled  spirit.  The 
humbling  will  lighten  the  cross  mightily  for  the  time, 
Matt.  xi.  30,  and  in  due  time  carry  it  cleanly  off,  1 
Pet.  V.  6.  But  the  removal  of  the  cross  is  not  a 
means  to  humble  the  unhumbled  ;  though  it  may  pre- 
vent irritation,  yet  the  disease  still  remains. 

3.  Think  with  yourselves  how  dangerous  and 
hopeless  a  case  it  is  to  have  the  cross  removed  ere 
the  spirit  is  humbled ;  that  is,  to  have  the  means  of 
cure  pulled  away  and  blocked  up  from  us,  while  the 
power  of  the  disease  is  yet  unbroken ;  to  be  taken 
off  trials  ere  we  have  given  any  good  proof  of  our- 
selves, and  so  to  be  given  over  of  our  physician  as 
hopeless,  Isa.  i.  5.     Hos.  iv.  17. 

Use  3.  For  direction.  Believing  the  gospel,  take 
God  for  your  God  in  Christ  towards  your  eternal 
salvation,  and  then  dwell  much  on  the  thoughts  of 
God's  greatness  and  holiness,  and  of  your  own  sin- 
fulness ;  so  will  you  be  humbled  under  the  mighty 
hand  of  God ;  and,  in  due  time,  he  will  lift  you  up. 
11 


104  INTRODUCTORY  REMARKS. 


1  Peter  v.  6. 

Humble  yourselves  therefore  under  the  mighty  hand 
of  Gody  that  he  may  exalt  you  in  due  time. 

In  the  preceding  part  of  this  chapter,  the  apostle 
presents  the  duties  of  the  church  officers  towards 
the  people ;  and  then  the  duty  of  the  people,  both 
towards  their  officers,  and  among  themselves,  which 
he  winds  up  in  one  word,  submission.  For  which 
causes  he  recommends  humility  as  the  great  means 
to  bring  all  to  their  respective  duties.  This  is  en- 
forced with  an  argument  taken  from  the  different 
treatment  the  Lord  gives  to  the  proud  and  the  hum- 
ble ;  his  opposing  himself  to  the  one,  and  showing 
favour  to  the  other.  Our  text  is  an  exhortation  drawn 
from  that  consideration  ;  and  in  it  we  have, 

1st.  The  duty  we  are  to  study :  "  Humble  your- 
selves therefore  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God,  that 
he  may  exalt  you  in  due  time."  And  therein  we 
may  notice, 

(1.)  The  state  of  those,  to  whom  it  is  proposed, 
those  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God,  whom  his 
hand  has  humbled,  or  brought  low  in  respect  of 
their  circumstances  in  the  world.  And  by  these, 
I  think,  are  meant,  not  only  such  as  are  under  par- 
ticular signal  afflictions,  which  is  the  lot  of  some, 
but  also  those  who,  by  the  providence  of  God,  are, 
in  any  kind  of  way  lowered,  which  is  the  lot  of  all. 
All  being  in  a  state  of  submission  or  dependence  on 
others,  God  has  made  this  life  a  state  of  trial;  and 
for  that  cause  he  has,  by  his  mighty  hand,  subjected 
,men  one  to  another,  as  wives,  children,  servants,  to 
husbands,  parents,  mastej:* ;  and  these  again  to  their 
superiors ;    among  whom,   again,  even  the  highest 


INTRODUCTORY  REMARKS.  105 

depend  on  those  under  them,  as  magistrates  and  mi- 
nisters on  the  people,  even  the  supreme  magistrate. 
This  state  of  the  world  God  has  made  for  the  trial 
of  men  in  their  several  stations,  and  dependence  on 
others ;  and  therefore,  when  the  time  of  trial  is  over, 
it  also  comes  to  an  end.  "  Then  cometh  the  end — 
when  he  shall  have  put  down  all  rule  and  all  authority, 
and  power,"  1  Cor.  xv.  24,  25.  Meantime,  while  it 
lasts,  it  makes  humility  necessary  to  all,  to  prompt 
them  to  the  duty  they  owe  their  superiors,  to  whom 
God's  mighty  hand  has  subjected  them. 

(2.)  The  duty  itself,  namely.  Humiliation  of  our  spi- 
rits under  the  humbling  circumstances  the  Lord  has 
placed  us  in.  "  Humble  yourselves  therefore  under 
the  mighty  hand  of  God,  that  he  may  exalt  you  in 
due  time."  Whether  we  are  under  particular  afflic- 
tions, which  have  cast  us  down  from  the  height  we 
-N^ere  sometime  in,  or  whether  we  are  only  inferiors 
in  one  or  more  relations ;  or  whether,  which  is  most 
common,  both  these  are  in  our  case,  we  must  therein 
eye  the  mighty  hand  of  God,  as  that  which  placed  us 
there,  and  is  over  us,  there  to  hold  us  down  in  it ; 
and  so,  with  an  awful  regard  thereto,  bow  down  un- 
der it,  in  the  temper  and  disposition  of  our  spirits, 
suiting  our  spirits  to  our  lot,  and  careful  of  perform- 
ing the  duty  of  our  low  sphere. 

(3.)  A  particular  spring  of  this  duty;  therefore  we 
must  consider,  that  those  who  cannot  quietly  keep 
the  place  assigned  them  of  God  in  their  afflictions  or 
relations,  but  still  press  upward  against  the  mighty 
hand  that  is  over  them,  that  mighty  hand  resists 
them,  throwing  them  down,  and  often  farther  down 
than  before ;  whereas,  it  treats  them  with  grace  and 
favour,  that  compose  themselves  under  it,  to  a  quiet 
discharge  of  their  duty  in  their  situation ;  so,  eyeing 
this,  we  must  set  ourselves  to  humble  ourselves. 


106  INTRODUCTORY  REMARKS. 

2dly.  The  infallible  issue  of  that  course ;  that  he 
may  exalt  you  in  due  time.  The  particle  that^  is 
not  always  to  be  understood  finally,  as  denoting  the 
end  or  design  the  agent  proposes  to  himself,  but 
sometimes  eventually  only,  as  denoting  the  event  or 
issue  of  the  action,  John  ix.  2,  3.;  1  John  ii.  19. 
So  here,  the  meaning  is  not,  Humble  yourselves,  on 
design  he  may  exalt  you ;  but,  and  it  shall  issue  in 
his  exalting  you.     Compare  James  iv.  10. 

(1.)  Here  is  a  happy  event,  of  humiliation  of 
spirit  secured,  and  that  is  exaltation  or  lifting  up  on 
high,  by  the  power  of  God,  that  he  may  exalt  you. 
Exalting  will  as  surely  follow  on  humiliation  of 
spirit,  suitable  to  the  low  lot,  as  the  morning  follows 
the  night,  or  the  sun  riseth  after  the  dawning.  And 
these  words  ar-e  fitted  to  obviate  the  objections  that 
the  world  and  our  corrupt  hearts  are  apt  to  make 
against  bringing  down  the  spirit  to  the  low  lot.        ^ 

Object.  1.  If  we  let  our  spirit  fall,  we  shall  lie  al- 
ways at  folli.s'  feet,  and  they  will  trample  on  us. 

Ans.  No ;  pride  of  spirit  unsubdued,  will  bring 
men  to  lie  at  the  feet  of  others  for  ever,  Isa.  Ixvi.  24. 
But  humiliation  of  spirit  will  bring  them  undoubtedly 
out  from  under  their  feet,  Mai.  iv.  2,  3.  They  that 
humble  themselves  now  will  be  exalted  for  ever; 
they  will  be  brought  out  of  their  low  situation  and 
circumstances.  Cast  ye  yourselves  even  down  with 
your  low  lot,  and  assure  yourselves  ye  shall  not  lie 
there. 

Object.  2.  If  we  do  not  raise  ourselves,  none  will 
raise  us ;  and  therefore  we  must  see  to  ourselves,  to 
do  ourselves  right. 

Ans.  That  is  wrong.  Humble  ye  yourselves  in 
respect  of  your  spirits,  and  God  will  raise  you  up  in 
respect  of  your  lot,  or  low  condition  ;  and  they  that 
have  God  engaged  for  raising  them,  have  no  reason 


DESIGN  OF  GOD  IN  AFFLICTING.  107 

to  say  they  have  none  to  do  it  for  them.  Bringing 
down  of  the  spirit  is  our  duty,  raising  us  up  is  God's 
work ;  let  us  not  forfeit  the  privilege  of  God's  rais- 
ing us  up,  by  arrogating  that  work  to  ourselves, 
taking  it  out  of  his  hand. 

Object.  3.  But  sure  we  shall  never  rise  high,  if 
we  let  our  spirits  fall. 

Ans.  That  is  wrong  too  :  God  will  not  only  raise 
the  humble  ones,  but  he  will  lift  them  up  on  high ; 
for  so  the  word  signifies.  They  shall  be  as  high  at 
length  as  ever  they  were  low,  were  they  ever  so 
low ;  nay,  the  exaltation  will  bear  proportion  to  the 
humiliation. 

(2.)  Here  is  the  date  of  that  happy  event  when 
it  will  fall  out.  In  due  time,  or  in  the  season,  the 
proper  season  for  it.  Gal.  vi.  9.  "In  due  season  we 
shall  reap,  if  we  faint  not."  We  are  apt  to  weary  in 
humbling  trying  circumstances,  and  would  instantly 
have  up  our  head,  John  vii.  6.  But  Solomon  ob- 
serves, There  is  a  time  for  every  thing  when  it  does 
best,  and  the  wise  will  wait  for  it,  Eccl.  iii.  1 — 8. 
There  is  a  time  too  for  exalting  them  that  humble 
themselves ;  God  has  set  it,  and  it  is  the  due  time 
for  the  purpose,  the  time  when  it  does  best,  even  as 
sowing  in  the  spring,  and  reaping  in  the  harvest. 
When  that  time  comes,  your  exalting  shall  no  longer 
be  put  off,  and  it  would  come  too  soon  should  it 
come  before  that  time. 

DocT.  I.  The  bent  of  one's  heart,  in  humbling  cir- 
cumstances, should  lie  towards  a  suitable  humbling 
of  the  spirit,  asunder  God^s  mighty  hand  placing 
us  in  them.     We  shall  consider, 

I,  What  things  are  supposed  in  this.  It  supposes 
that 

11* 


106  DESIGN  OF  GOD  IN  AFFLICTING. 

1.  God  brings  men  into  humbling  circumstances, 
Ezek.  xvii.  24.  "And  all  the  trees  of  the  field  shall 
know,  that  I  the  Lord  have  brought  down  the  high 
tree."  There  is  a  root  of  pride  in  the  hearts  of  all 
men  on  earth,  that  must  be  mortified  ere  they  can 
be  meet  for  heaven :  and  therefore  no  man  can 
miss,  in  this  time  of  trial,  some  things  that  will  give 
a  proof  whether  he  can  stoop  or  no.  And  God 
brings  them  into  humbling  circumstances  for  that 
very  end,  Deut.  viii.  2.  "  The  Lord  thy  God  led 
thee  these  forty  years  in  the  wilderness,  to  humble 
thee,  and  to  prove  thee,  to  know  what  was  in  thine 
heart." 

2.  These  circumstances  prove  pressing  as  a  weight 
on  the  heart,  tending  to  bear  it  down,  Psal.  cvii.  12. 
"  Therefore  he  brought  down  their  hearts  with  la- 
bour." They  strike  at  the  grain  of  the  heart,  and 
cross  the  natural  inclination :  whence  a  trial  arises, 
whether,  when  God  lays  on  his  mighty  hand,  the 
man  can  yield  under  it  or  not;  and  consequently, 
whether  he  is  meet  for  heaven  or  not. 

3.  The  heart  is  naturally  apt  to  rise  up  against 
these  humbling  circumstances,  and  consequently 
against  the  mighty  hand  that  brings  and  keeps  them 
on.  The  man  naturally  bends  his  force  to  get  off 
the  weight,  that  he  may  get  up  his  head,  seeking 
more  to  please  himself  than  to  please  his  God,  Job 
XXXV.  9,  10.  "  They  cry  out  by  reason  of  the  arm 
of  the  mighty :  but  none  saith,  Where  is  God  my 
Maker?"  This  is  the  first  gate  the  heart  runs  to  in 
humbling  circumstances ;  and  in  this  way  the  unsub- 
dued spirit  holds  on. 

4.  But  what  God  requires  is,  rather  to  labour  to 
bring  down  the  heart,  than  to  get  up  the  head,  James 
iv.  10.  Here  lies  the  proof  of  one's  meetness  for 
lieaven;  and  then  is  one  in  the  way  heaven-ward, 


AFFLICTIONS   DIVERSIFIED.  109 

when  he  is  more  concerned  to  get  down  his  heart 
than  to  get  up  his  head,  to  go  calmly  under  his  bur- 
den than  to  get  it  off,  to  bow  under  the  mighty  hand, 
than  to  put  it  off  him. 

5.  There  must  be  a  noticing  of  the  hand  of  God 
in  humbling  circumstances;  "Hear  ye  the  rod,  and 
him  who  hath  appointed  it."  Mic.  vi.  9.  There  is 
an  abjectness  of  spirit,  whereby  some  give  up  them- 
selves to  the  will  of  others  in  the  harshest  treatment, 
merely  to  please  them,  without  regard  to  the  authority 
and  command  of  God.  This  is  real  meanness  of 
spirit,  whereby  one  lies  quietly  to  be  trampled  on  by 
a  fellow  worm,  from  its  imaginary  weight ;  and  none 
so  readily  fall  into  it  as  the  proud,  at  some  times,  to 
serve  their  own  turn.  These  are  men-pleasers,  Eph. 
vi.  6,  with  Gal.  i.  10. 

II.  What  are  those  humbling  circumstances  the 
mighty  hand  of  God  brings  men  into.  Supposing 
here  what  was  before  taught  concerning  the  crook 
in  the  lot  being  of  God's  making,  these  are  circum- 
stances, 

1.  Of  imperfection.  God  has  placed  all  men  in 
such  circumstances  under  a  variety  of  wants  and  im- 
perfections, Phil.  iii.  12.  We  can  look  no  where, 
where  we  are  not  beset  with  them.  There  is  a  heap 
of  natural  and  moral  imperfections  about  us  :  our  bo- 
dies and  our  souls,  in  all  their  faculties,  are  in  a  state 
of  imperfection.  The  pride  of  all  glory  is  stained ; 
and  it  is  a  shame  for  us  not  to  be  humbled  under  such 
wants  as  attend  us ;  it  is  like  a  beggar  strutting  in  his 
rags. 

2.  Of  inferiority  in  relations,  whereby  men  are  set 
in  the  lower  place  in  relations  and  society,  and  made 
to  depend  on  others,  1  Cor.  vii.  24.  God  has,  for  a 
trial  of  men's  submission  to  himself,  subjected  them 
to  others  whom  he  has  set  over  them,  to  discover 


110  AFFLICTIONS  DIVERSIFIED. 

what  regard  they  will  pay  to  his  authority  and  com- 
mands at  second  hand.  Dominion  or  superiority  is 
a  part  of  the  divine  image  shining  in  them,  1  Cor. 
xi.  7.  And  therefore  reverence  of  them,  consisting 
in  an  awful  regard  to  that  ray  of  tiie  divine  image 
shining  in  them,  is  necessarily  required,  Eph.  v.  23; 
Heb.  xii.  9.  The  same  holds  in  all  other  relations 
and  superiorities,  namely,  that  they  are  so  far  in  the 
place  of  God  to  their  relatives,  Psal.  Ixxxii.  6,  and 
though  the  parties  be  worthless  in  themselves,  that 
looses  not  from  the  debt  due  to  them.  Acts  xxiii.  4, 
5.  Rom.  xiii.  7.  The  reason  is,  because  it  is  not 
their  qualities,  but  their  character,  which  is  the  ground 
of  that  debt  of  reverence  and  subjection;  and  the  trial 
God  takes  of  us  in  that  matter  turns  not  on  the  point 
of  the  former,  but  of  the  latter. 

Now,  God  having  placed  us  in  these  circumstances 
of  inferiority,  all  refractoriness,  in  all  things  not  con- 
trary to  the  command  of  God,  is  a  rising  up  against 
his  mighty  hand,  Rom.  xiii.  2,  because  it  is  medi- 
ately upon  us  for  that  effect,  though  it  is  a  man's 
hand  that  is  immediately  on  us. 

3.  Of  contradiction,  tending  directly  to  balk  us 
of  our  will.  This  was  a  part  of  our  Lord's  state  of 
humiliation,  and  the  apostle  supposes  it  will  be  apart 
of  ours  too,  Heb.  xii.  3.  There  is  a  perfect  harmony 
in  heaven,  no  one  to  contradict  another  there:  for 
they  are  in  their  state  of  retribution  and  exaltation  : 
but  we  are  here  in  our  state  of  trial  and  humiliation, 
and  therefore  cannot  miss  contradiction,  be  we  placed 
ever  so  high. 

Whether  these  contradictions  be  just  or  unjust, 
God  tries  men  with  them  to  humble  them,  to  break 
them  off  from  addictedness  to  their  own  will,  and  to 
teach  them  resignation  and  self-denial.  They  are  in 
their  own  nature  humbling,  and  much  the  same  to 


AFFLICTIONS  DIVERSIFIED.  Ill 

US,  as  the  breaking  of  a  horse  or  a  bullock  is  to  them. 
And  I  believe  there  are  many  cases  in  which  there 
can  be  no  accounting  for  them,  but  by  recurring  to 
this  use  God  has  for  them. 

4.  Of  affliction,  Prov.  xvi.  19.  Prosperity  puffs 
up  sinners  with  pride;  for  it  is  very  hard  to  keep  a 
low  spirit  with  a  high  and  prosperous  lot.  But  God, 
by  affliction,  calls  men  down  from  their  heights 
to  sit  in  the  dust,  plucks  away  their  gay  feathers 
wherein  they  prided  themselves,  rubs  the  paint  and 
varnish  from  off  the  creature,  whereby  it  appears 
more  in  its  native  deformity.  There  are  various 
kinds  of  affliction,  some  more,  some  less  humbhng, 
but  all  of  them  are  humbling. 

Wherefore,  not  to  lower  the  spirit  under  the  afflic- 
tion, is  to  attempt  to  rise  up  when  God  is  casting 
and  holding  us  down ;  and  cannot  fail,  if  continued 
in,  to  provoke  the  Lord  to  break  us  in  pieces, 
Ezek.  xxiv.  13.  For  the  afflicting  hand  of  God  is 
mighty. 

5.  Of  sin,  as  the  punishment  of  sin.  We  may- 
allude  to  that.  Job  XXX.  19.  All  the  sin  in  the  world 
is  a  punishment  of  Adam's  first  sin.  Man  threw 
himself  into  the  mire  at  first,  and  now  he  is  justly 
left  weltering  in  it.  Men  wilfully  make  one  false 
step,  and  for  that  cause  they  are  justly  left  to  make 
another  worse ;  and  sin  hangs  about  all,  even  the 
best.  And  this  is  over-ruled  of  God  for  our  humi- 
liation, that  we  may  be  ashamed,  and  never  open  our 
mouth  any  more.  Wherefore,  not  to  be  humbled 
under  our  sinfulness,  is  to  rise  up  against  the  mighty 
hand  of  God,  and  to  justify  all  our  sinful  departings 
from  him,  as  lost  to  all  sense  of  duty,  and  void  of 
shame. 

III.  What  it  is  in  humbling  circumstances,  to 
humble  ourselves  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God. 


112  WHEREIN  HUMILIATION  CONSISTS. 

This  is  the  great  thing  to  be  aimed  at  in  our  hum- 
bling circumstances.  And  we  may  take  it  up  in  these 
eight  things. 

1.  Noticing  God's  mighty  hand,  as  employed  in 
bringing  about  every  thing  that  concerns  us,  either 
in  the  way  of  efficacy  or  permission,  ♦'  And  he  said. 
It  is  the  Lord  ;  let  him  do  what  seemeth  him  good.'* 
1  Sam.  iii.  18.  "  And  the  king  said,  The  Lord 
hath  said  unto  him.  Curse  David:  who  shall  then 
€ay,  wherefore  hast  thou  done  so  ?"  2  Sam.  xvi.  10. 
He  is  the  fountain  of  all  perfection,  but  we  must 
trace  our  imperfections  to  his  sovereign  will.  It  is 
he  that  has  posted  every  one  in  their  relations  by  his 
providence;  without  him  we  could  not  meet  with 
such  contradictions ;  for,  "  The  king's  heart  is  in 
the  hand  of  the  Lord,  as  the  rivers  of  water :  he 
turneth  it  whithersoever  he  pleaseth."  Prov.  xxi.  1. 
He  sends  afflictions,  and  justly  punishes  one  sin  with 
another.  Isa.  vi.  10. 

2.  A  sense  of  our  own  worthlessness  and  nothing- 
ness before  him.  Psal.  cxliv.  3.  Looking  to  the  in- 
finite Majesty  of  the  mighty  hand  dealing  with  us, 
we  should  say,  with  Abraham,  Gen.  xviii.  27. 
"  Behold,  I  am  but  dust  and  ashes  ;"  and  say  amen 
to  the  cry.  Isa.  xl.  6.  All  flesh  is  grass,  &:c.  The 
keeping  up  of  thoughts  of  our  own  excellency,  under 
the  pressure  of  God's  mighty  hand,  is  the  very  thing 
that  swells  the  heart  in  pride,  causing  it  to  rise  up 
against  it.  *And  it  is  the  letting  of  all  such  thoughts 
of  ourselves  fall  before  the  eyes  of  his  glory,  that  is 
the  humbling  required. 

3.  A  sense  of  our  guilt  and  filthiness.  Rom.  iii.  10. 
Isa.  Ixiv.  6.  The  mighty  hand  doth  not  press  us 
down,  but  as  sinners ;  it  is  meet  then  that  under  it 
we  see  our  sinfulness ;  our  guilt,  whereby  we  shall 
appear  criminals  justly  caused  to  suffer;  our  filthi- 


WHEREIN  HUMILIATION  CONSISTS.  113 

ness,  whereupon  we  may  be  brought  to  loath  our- 
selves ;  and  then  we  shall  think  nothing  lays  us  lower 
than  we  well  deserve.  It  is  the  overlooking  our  sin- 
fulness that  suffers  the  proud  heart  to  swell. 

4.  A  silent  submission  under  the  hand  of  God. 
His  sovereignty  challengeth  this  of  us,  Rom.  ix.  20.. 
"  Nay  but,  O  man,  who  art  thou  that  repliest  against 
God  ?"  And  nothing  but  unsubdued  pride  of  spirit 
can  allow  us  to  answer  again  under  his  sovereign 
hand.  A  view  of  his  sovereignty  humbled  and  awed 
the  Psalmist  into  submission,  with  a  profound  silence, 
Psal.  xxxix.  9.  "  I  was  dumb,  I  opened  not  my 
mouth,  because  thou  didst  it." — Job.  i.  21.  "The 
Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away ;  blessed 
be  the  name  of  the  Lord." — And  xl.  4,  5.  "  What 
shall  I  answer  thee  ?  I  will  lay  mine  hand  upon  my 
mouth.  Once  have  I  spoken,  but  I  will  not  answer; 
yea,  twice,  but  I  will  proceed  no  farther."  And  Eli, 
1  Sam.  iii.  18.  "  It  is  the  Lord ;  let  him  do  what 
seemeth  him  good." 

5.  A  magnifying  of  his  mercies  towards  us  in  the 
midst  of  all  his  proceedings  a'gainst  us,  Psal.  cxliv.  3. 
Has  he  laid  us  low  ?  If  we  be  duly  humbled,  we 
shall  wonder  he  has  laid  us  no  lower.  Ezra  ix.  13. 
For  however  low  the  humble  are  laid,  they  will  see 
they  are  not  yet  so  low  as  their  sins  deserve.  Lam. 
iii.  22. 

6.  A  holy  and  silent  admiration  of  the  ways  and 
counsels  of  God,  as  to  us  unsearchable.  Rom.  xi.  33. 
Pride  of  heart  thinks  nothing  too  high  for  the  man, 
and  so  arraigns  before  its  tribunal  the  divine  pro- 
ceedings, pretends  to  see  through  them,  censures 
freely  and  condemns ;  but  humiliation  of  spirit  dis- 
poses a  man  to  think  awfully  and  honourably  of  those 
mysteries  of  Providence  he  is  not  able  to  see  through. 


114  WHEREIN  HUMILIATION  CONSISTS. 

7.  A  forgetting  and  laying  aside  before  the  Lord 
all  our  dignity,  whereby  we  excel  others,  Rev.  iv.  10. 
Pride  feeds  itself  on  the  man's  real  or  imaginary 
personal  excellency  and  dignity,  and,  being  so  inured 
to  it  before  others,  cannot  forget  it  before  God,  Luke 
xviii.  11.  *' God,  I  thank  thee  I  am  not  as  other 
men."  But  humiliation  of  spirit  makes  it  all  to 
vanish  before  him  as  doth  the  shadow  before  the 
shining  sun,  and  it  lays  the  man,  in  his  own  eyes, 
lower  than  any.  "  Surely  I  am  more  brutish  than  any 
man,  and  have  not  the  understanding  of  a  man." 
Prov.  XXX.  2. 

8.  A  submitting  readily  to  the  meanest  offices  re- 
quisite in,  or  agreeable  to  our  circumstances.  Pride 
at  every  turn  finds  something  that  is  below  the  man 
to  condescend  or  stoop  to,  measuring  by  his  own 
mind  and  will,  not  by  the  circumstances  God  has 
placed  him  in.  But  humility  measures  by  the  cir- 
cumstances one  is  placed  in,  and  readily  falls  in  with 
what  they  require.  Hereof  our  Saviour  gave  us  an 
example  to  be  imitated,  Phil.  ii.  8.  "  Being  found 
in  fashion  as  a  man  he  humbled  himself,  and  became 
obedient  unto  death."  John  xiii.  14.  "  If  I  then,  your 
Lord  and  Master,  have  washed  your  feet,  ye  ought 
also  to  wash  one  another's  feet." 

Use.  Of  exhortation.  Let  the  bent  of  your  heart 
then,  in  all  your  humbling  circumstances,  be  towards 
the  humbling  of  your  spirit,  as  under  the  mighty 
hand  of  God.     This  lies  in  two  things. 

1.  Carefully  notice  all  your  humbling  circum- 
stances, and  overlook  none  of  them.  Observe  your 
imperfections ;  inferiority  in  relations  ;  contradictions 
you  meet  with ;  your  afflictions ;  uncertainty  of  all 
things  about  you ;  and  your  sinfulness. — Look 
through  them  designedly,  and  consider  the  steps  of 


MOTIVES  FOR  ATTAINING  IT,  115 

the  conduct  of  Providence  toward  you  in  these, 
that  ye  may  know  yourselves,  and  may  not  be  stran- 
gers at  home,  blhid  to  your  own  real  slate  and  case. 

2.  Observe  what  these  circumstances  require  of 
you,  as  suitable  to  them  ;  bend  your  endeavours  to- 
wards it,  to  bring  your  spirits  into  that  temper  of  hu- 
miliation, that,  as  your  lot  is  really  low  in  all  these 
respects,  so  your  spirits  may  be  low  too,  as  under  the 
mighty  hand  of  God.  Let  this  be  your  great  aim 
through  your  whole  life,  and  your  exercise  every  day. 

Motive  1.  God  is  certainly  at  work  to  humble  one 
and  all  of  us.  However  high  any  are  lifted  up  in 
this  world.  Providence  has  hung  certain  badges  for 
humiliation  on  them,  whether  they  will  notice  them 
or  not,  Isa.  xl.  6.  Now,  it  is  our  duty  to  fall  in 
with  the  design  of  providence,  that  while  God  is 
humbling  us,  we  may  be  humbling  ourselves,  and 
that  we  may  not  receive  humbling  dispensations  in 
vain. 

2,  The  humiliation  of  our  spirit  will  not  take 
effect  without  our  own  agency  therein:  while  God 
is  working  on  us  that  way,  we  must  work  together 
with  him;  for  he  works  on  us  as  rational  agents, 
who  being  moved,  move  themselves,  Phil.  ii.  12,  13. 
God  by  his  providence  may  force  down  our  lot  and 
condition  without  us,  but  the  spirit  must  come  down 
voluntarily  and  of  choice,  or  not  at  all;  therefore, 
strike  in  with  humbling  providences  in  humbling 
yourselves,  as  mariners  spread  out  the  sails  when 
the  wind  begins  to  blow,  that  they  may  go  away 
before  it. 

3.  If  ye  do  not,  ye  resist  the  mighty  hand  of  God, 
Acts  vii.  51.  Ye  resist  in  so  far  as  ye  do  not  yield, 
but  stand  as  a  rock  keeping  your  ground  against 
your  Maker  in  humbling  providences,  Jer.  v.  3. 
"  Thou  has  stricken  them,  but  they  have  not  grieved ; 

12 


116  MOTIVES  FOR  ATTAINING  IT. 

thou  hast  consumed  them,  but  they  have  refused  to 
receive  correction.  They  have  made  their  faces 
harder  than  a  rock ;  they  have  refused  to  return." 
Much  more  when  ye  work  against  him  to  force  up 
your  condition,  which  ye  may  see  God  means  to 
hold  down.     And  of  this  resistance  consider, 

(1.)  The  sinfulness  ;  what  an  evil  thing  it  is.  It 
is  a  direct  fighting  against  God,  a  shaking  off  of  sub- 
jection to  our  sovereign  Lord,  and  a  rising  in  rebel- 
lion against  him.     Isa.  xlv.  9. 

(2.)  The  folly  of  it.  How  unequal  is  the  match  ! 
How  can  the  struggle  end  well  ?  Job  ix.  4.  What 
else  can  possibly  be  the  issue  of  the  potsherds  of  the 
earth  dashing  against  the  Rock  of  Ages,  but  that 
they  be  broken  to  pieces  ?  All  men  must  certainly 
bow  or  break  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God.  Job 
xli.  8. 

4.  This  is  the  time  of  humiliation,  even  the  time 
of  this  life.  Every  thing  is  beautiful  in  its  season; 
and  the  bringing  down  of  the  spirit  now  is  beautiful, 
as  in  the  time  thereof,  even  as  the  plowing  and  sow- 
ing of  the  ground  is  in  the  spring.     Consider, 

(I.)  Humiliation  of  spirit  is  in  the  sight  of  God  of 
great  price,  1  Pet.  iii.  4.  As  he  has  a  special  aver- 
sion to  pride  of  heart,  he  has  a  special  liking  of  hu- 
mility, chap.  v.  5.  The  humbling  of  sinners  and 
bringing  them  down  from  their  heights,  wherein  the 
corruption  of  their  nature  has  set  them,  is  the  great 
end  of  his  word,  and  of  his  providences. 

(2.)  It  is  no  easy  thing  to  humble  men's  spirits  ;  it 
is  not  a  little  that  will  do  it ;  it  is  a  work  that  is  not 
soon  done.  There  is  need  of  a  digging  deep  for  a 
thorough  humiliation  in  the  work  of  conversion, 
Luke  vi.  48.  Many  a  stroke  must  be  given  at  the 
root  of  the  tree  of  the  natural  pride  of  the  heart  ere 
it  fall;  ofttimes  it  seems  to  be  fallen,  and  yet,  it 


117 

arises  again.  And,  even  when  the  root  stroke  is 
given  in  believers,  the  rod  of  pride  buds  again,  so 
that  there  is  still  occasion  for  new  humbling  work. 

(3.)  The  whole  time  of  this  life  is  appointed  for 
humiliation.  This  was  signified  by  the  forty  years 
the  Israelites  had  in  the  wilderness,  Deut.  viii.  2.  It 
was  so  to  Christ,  and  therefore  it  must  be  so  to  men, 
Heb.  xii.  2.  And  in  that  time  they  must  either  be 
formed  according  to  his  image,  or  else  appear  as 
reprobate  silver  that  will  not  take  it  on  by  any  means, 
Rom.  viii.  29.  So  that  whatever  lifting  up  men  may 
now  and  then  get  in  this  life,  the  habitual  course  of 
it  will  still  be  humbling. 

(4.)  There  is  no  humbling  after  this,  Rev.  xxii. 
11.  If  the  pride  of  the  heart  be  not  brought  down 
in  this  life,  it  will  never  be ;  no  kindly  humiliation 
is  to  be  expected  in  the  other  life.  There  the  proud 
will  be  broken  in  pieces,  but  not  softened ;  their  lot 
and  condition  will  be  brought  to  the  lowest  pass,  but 
the  unhumbleness  of  their  spirits  will  still  remain, 
whence  they  will  be  in  eternal  agonies  through  the 
opposition  betwixt  their  spirits  and  lot,  Rev.  xvi.  21. 

Wherefore,  beware  lest  ye  sit  your  time  of  humi- 
liation: humbled  we  must  be,  or  we  are  gone  for 
ever;  and  this  is  the  time,  the  only  time  of  it;  there- 
fore, make  your  hay  while  the  sun  shines ;  strike  in 
with  humbling  providences,  and  fight  not  against 
them  while  ye  have  them.  Acts  xiii.  41.  The  sea- 
son of  grace  will  not  last ;  if  ye  sleep  in  seed  time, 
ye  will  beg  in  harvest. 

5.  This  is  the  way  to  turn  humbling  circumstances 
to  a  good  account ;  so  that  instead  of  being  losers  ye 
would  be  gainers  by  them,  Psal.  cxix.  71.  "  It  is 
good  for  me  that  T  have  been  afflicted."  Would  ye 
gather  grapes  of  these  thorns  and  thistles,  set  your- 
selves to  get  your  spirits  humbled  by  them. 


lis  MOTIVES  FOR  ATTAINING  IT. 

Humiliation  of  spirit  is  a  most  valuable  thing 
in  itself,  Prov.  xvi.  32.  It  calnnot  be  bought  too 
dear.  Whatever  one  is  made  to  suffer,  if  his  spirit 
is  thereby  duly  brought  down,  he  has  what  is  well 
worth  bearing  all  the  hardships  for,  1  Pet.  iii.  4. 

Humility  of  spirit  brings  many  advantages  along 
with  it.  It  is  a  fruitful  bougii,  well  loaden,  wher- 
ever it  is.  It  contributes  to  one's  ease  under  the 
cross.  Matt.  xi.  30. ;  Lam.  iii.  27 — 29.  It  is  a 
sacrifice  particularly  acceptable  to  God,  Psal.  li.  17. 
The  eye  of  God  is  particularly  on  such  for  good, 
Isa.  Ixvi.  2.  "  To  this  man  will  I  look,  even  to  him 
that  is  poor,  and  of  a  contrite  spirit,  and  trembleth 
at  my  word."  Yea  he  dwells  with  them,  Isa.  Ivii. 
15.  And  it  carries  a  line  of  wisdom  through  one's 
whole  conduct,  Prov.  xi.  2.  "  With  the  lowly  is 
wisdom." 

6.  Consider  it  is  a  mighty  hand  that  is  at  work 
with  us ;  the  hand  of  the  mighty  God  ;  let  us  then 
bend  our  spirits  towards  a  compliance  with  it,  and  not 
wrestle  against  it.     Consider, 

(1.)  We  must  fall  under  it.  Since  the  design  of 
it  is  to  bring  us  down,  we  cannot  stand  before  it; 
for  it  cannot  miscarry  in  its  designs,  Isa.  xlvi.  10. 
"  My  counsel  shall  stand."  So  fall  before  it  we 
must,  either  in  the  way  of  duly  or  judgment,  Psal. 
xlvi.  5.  "  Thine  arrows  are  sharp  in  the  heart  of 
the  king's  enemies,  whereby  the  people  fall  under 
thee." 

(2.)  They  that  are  so  wise  as  to  fall  in  humili- 
ation under  the  mighty  hand,  be  they  ever  so  low, 
the  same  hand  will  raise  them  up  again,  James  iv.  10. 
In  a  word,  be  the  proud  ever  so  high,  God  will  bring 
them  down:  be  the  humble  ever  so  low,  God  will 
raise  them  up. 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  THIS  PURPOSE.  119 

Directions  for  reaching  this  humiliation. 

I.  General  Directions. 

Direct.  1.  Fix  it  in  your  heart  to  seek  some  spiri- 
tual improvement  of  the  conduct  of  Providence  to- 
wards you,  Micah  vi.  9.  Till  once  your  heart  get  a 
set  that  way,  your  humiliation  is  not  to  be  expected, 
Hosea  xiv.  9.  But  nothing  is  more  reasonable,  if 
we  would  act  either  like  men  or  Christians,  than  to 
aim  at  turning  what  is  so  grievous  to  the  flesh  unto 
the  profit  of  the  spirit ;  that  if  we  are  losers  on  one 
hand,  we  may  be  gainers  on  another. 

2.  Settle  the  matter  of  your  eternal  salvation,  in 
the  first  place,  by  betaking  yourself  to  Christ,  and 
taking  God  for  your  God  in  him,  according  to  the 
gospel-ofl'er,  Hos.  ii.  19. ;  Heb.  viii.  10.  Let  your 
humbling  circumstances  move  you  to  this,  and  while 
the  creature  dries  up,  you  may  go  to  the  Fountain : 
for  it  is  impossible  to  reach  due  humiliation  under 
his  mighty  hand,  without  faith  in  him  as  your  God 
and  friend,  Heb.  xi.  6 ;   1  John  iv.  19. 

3.  Use  the  means  of  soul-humbling  in  the  faith  of 
the  promise,  Psal.  xxviii.  7.  Moses,  smiting  the 
rock  in  faith  of  the  promise,  made  water  gush  out, 
which  otherwise  would  not  at  all  have  appeared. 
Let  us  do  likewise  in  dealing  with  our  rocky  hearts. 
They  must  be  laid  on  the  soft  bed  of  the  gospel,  and 
struck  there,  as  Joel  ii.  13.  "  Turn  to  the  Lord 
your  God,  for  he  is  gracious  and  merciful :"  or  they 
will  never  kindly  break  or  fall  in  humiliation. 

II.  Particular  Directions. 

1.  Assure  yourselves  that  there  are  no  circum- 
stances that  you  are  in  so  humbling,  but  you  may 
get  your  heart  acceptably  brought  down  to  them, 
12* 


120  DIRECTIONS  FOR  THIS  PURPOSE. 

1  Cor.  X.  13.  "But  God  is  faithful,  who  will  not 
suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye  are  able,  but 
will  with  the  temptation  also  make  a  way  to  escape, 
that  ye  may  be  able  to  bear  it."  This  is  truth,  2  Cor. 
xii.  9.  "My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee;  for  my 
strength  is  made  perfect  in  weakness."  And  you 
should  be  persuaded  of  it,  with  application  to  your- 
selves, if  ever  you  would  reach  the  end.  Phil.  iv.  13*. 
*'  1  can  do  all  things  througli*  Christ  which  strength- 
eneth  me."  God  allows  you  to  be  persuaded  of  it, 
whatever  is  your  weakness  and  the  difficulty  of  the 
task.  "  For  our  sakes  this  is  written.  That  he 
that  ploweth  should  plow  in  hope ;  and  he  that 
thresheth  in  hope,  should  be  partaker  of  his  hope." 
1  Cor.  ix.  10.  And  the  belief  thereof  is  a  piece  of 
the  life  of  faith,  2  Tim.  ii.  1.  If  you  have  no  hope 
of  success,  your  endeavours,  as  they  will  be  heart- 
less, so  they  will  be  vain.  "  Wherefore  lift  up  the 
hands  that  hang  down,  and  the  feeble  knees."  Heb. 
xii.  12. 

2.  Whatever  hand  is,  or  is  not,  in  your  humbling 
circumstances,  do  you  take  God  for  your  party,  and 
consider  yourselves  therein  as  under  his  mighty 
hand,  iMicah  vi.  9.  Men  in  their  humbling  circum- 
stances overlook  God;  so  they  find  not  themselves 
called  to  humility  under  them  ;  they  fix  their  eyes  on 
the  creature  instrument,  and  instead  of  humility, 
their  hearts  rise.  But  take  him  for  your  party  that 
ye  may  remember  the  battle,  and  do  no  more.  Job 
xii.  8. 

3.  Be  much  in  the  thoughts  of  God's  infinite 
greatness;  consider  his  holiness  and  majesty,  to  awe 
you  into  the  deepest  humiliation,  Isa.  vi.  3 — 5.  Job 
met  with  many  humbling  providences  in  his  case, 
but  he  was  never  sufficiendy  humbled  under  them, 
till   the  Lord  made  a  new  discovery  of  himself  unto 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  THIS  PURPOSE.  131 

him,  in  his  infinite  majesty  and  greatness.  He 
kept  his  ground  against  his  friends,  and  stood  to  his 
points,  till  the  Lord  took  that  method  with  him.  It 
was  begun  with  thunder,  Job  xxxvii.  1,  2.  Then 
followed  Goci's  voice  out  of  the  whirlwind,  chap, 
xxxviii.  1,  whereon  Job  is  brought  down,  chap.  xl.  4. 
5.  It  is  renewed  till  he  is  farther  humbled,  chap.  xlii. 
5,  6.  "  Wherefore  I  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in 
dust  and  ashes." 

4.  Inure  yourselves  silently  to  admit  mysteries  in 
the  conduct  of  Providence  towards  you,  which  you 
are  not  able  to  comprehend,  but  will  adore,  Rom. 
xi.  33.  "  O  the  depth  of  the  riches,  both  of  the 
wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God !  how  unsearchable 
are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways  past  finding  out!" 
That  was  the  first  word  God  said  to  Job,  xxxviii.  2. 
"  Who  is  this  that  darkeneth  counsel  by  words  w^ith- 
out  knowledge  ?"  It  went  to  his  heart,  stuck  with 
him,  and  he  comes  over  it  again,  chap.  xlii.  3,  as 
that  which  particularly  brought  him  to  his  knees,  to 
the  dust.  Even  in  those  steps  of  Providence,  which 
we  seem  to  see  far  into,  we  may  well  allow  there  are 
some  mysteries  beyond  what  we  see.  And  in  those 
which  are  perplexing  and  puzzling,  sovereignty 
should  silence  us  ;  his  infinite  wisdom  should  satisfy 
though  we  cannot  see. 

5.  Be  much  in  the  thoughts  of  your  own  sinful- 
ness. Job  xl.  4.  "  Behold  I  am  vile,  what  shall  I 
answer  thee  ?  I  will  lay  mine  hand  upon  my  mouth." 
It  is  overlooking  of  that  which  gives  us  so  much 
ado  with  humbling  circumstances.  While  the  eyes 
are  held  that  they  cannot  see  sin,  the  heart  riseth 
against  them ;  but  when  they  are  opened,  it  falls. 
Wherefore,  whenever  God  is  dealing  with  you  in 
humbling  dispensations,  turn  your  eyes,  upon  that 
oocasion,  on   the   sinfulness   of  your  nature,   heart 


122  DIRECTIONS  FOR  THIS  PURPOSE. 

and   life,    and   that  will  help  forward  your  humili- 
ation. 

6.  Settle  it  in  your  heart,  that  there  is  need  of  all 
the  humbling  circumstances  you  are  put  in.  This  is 
truth,  1  Pet.  i.  6.  "  Though  now  for  a  season  (if 
need  be)  ye  are  in  heaviness  through  manifold  temp- 
tations." God  brings  no  needless  trials  upon  us, 
afflicts  none  but  as  their  need  requires.  Lam.  iii.  33. 
"  For  he  doth  not  afflict  willingly,  nor  grieve  the 
children  of  men."  That  is  an  observable  difference 
betwixt  our  earthly  and  our  heavenly  Father's  cor- 
rection, Heb.  xii.  10.  "  They,  after  their  own  plea- 
sure ;  but  HE  for  our  profit,  that  we  might  be  par- 
takers of  his  holiness."  Look  to  the  temper  of  your 
own  hearts  and  nature,  how  apt  to  be  lifted  up,  to 
forget  God,  to  be  carried  away  with  the  vanities  of 
the  world :  what  foolishness  is  bound  up  in  your 
heart!  Thus  you  will  see  the  i>eed  of  humbling  cir- 
cumstances for  ballast,  and  of  the  rod  for  the  fool's 
back ;  and  if  at  any  time  you  cannot  see  that  need, 
believe  it  on  the  ground  of  God's  infinite  wisdom, 
that  does  nothing  in  vain. 

7.  Believe  a  kind  design  of  Providence  in  them 
towards  you.  God  calls  us  to  this,  as  the  key  that 
opens  the  heart  under  them.  Rev.  iii.  19.  Satan  sug- 
gests suspicions  to  the  contrary,  as  the  bar  which 
may  hold  it  shut,  2  Kings  vi.  33.  "  This  evil  is  of 
the  Lord,  what  should  I  wait  for  the  Lord  any 
longer?"  As  long  as  the  suspicion  of  an  ill  design 
in  them  against  us  reigns,  the  creature  will,  like  the 
worm  at  the  man's  feet,  put  itself  in  the  best  posture 
of  defence  it  can,  and  harden  itself  in  sorrow:  but 
the  faith  of  a  kind  design  will  cause  it  to  open  out 
itself  in  humility  before  him. 

Case.  "  0 !  if  I  knew  there  were  a  kind  design  in 
it,  I  would  willingly  bear  it,  although  there  were 


ADDITIONAL  MOTIVES  URGED.  123 

more  of  it ;  but  I  fear  a  ruining  design  of  Providence 
against  nie  therein." 

Ans.  Now,  what  word  of  God,  or  discovery  from 
Heaven,  have  you  to  ground  these  fears  upon? 
None  at  all' but  from  hell,  1  Cor.  x.  13.  What 
think  you  the  design  towards  you  in  the  gospel  is? 
Can  you  believe  no  kind  design  in  all  the  words 
of  grace  there  heaped  up?  What  is  that,  I  pray,  but 
black  unbelief  in  its  hue  of  hell,  flying  in  the  face  of 
the  truth  of  God,  and  making  him  a  liar,  Isa.  Iv.  1. 
1  John  V.  10,  11.  The  gospel  is  a  breathing  of  love 
and  good-will  to  the  world  of  mankind  sinners,  Tilus 
ii.  11;  iii.  3,  4 ;  1  John  iv.  14;  John  iii.  17.  But 
ye  believe  it  not,  in  that  case,  more  than  devils  believe 
it.  If  he  can  believe  a  kind  design  there,  ye  must  be- 
lieve it  in  your  humbling  circumstances  too  ;  for  the 
design  of  Providence  cannot  be  contrary  to  the  design 
of  the  gospel ;  but  contrariwise,  the  latter  is  to  help 
forward  to  the  other. 

8.  Think  with  yourselves,  that  this  life  is  the  time 
of  trial  for  heaven,  James  i.  12.  "  Blessed  is  the 
man  that  endureth  temptation  ;  for  when  he  is  tried, 
he  shall  receive  the  crown  of  life  which  the  Lord 
hath  promised  to  them  that  love  him."  And  there- 
fore there  should  be  a  welcoming  of  humbling  cir- 
cumstances in  that  view,  ver.  2.  "  Count  it  all  joy 
when  ye  fall  into  divers  temptations."  If  there  is 
an  honourable  office,  or  beneficial  employment  to  be 
bestowed,  men  strive  to  be  taken  on  trial  for  it,  in 
hope  they  may  be  thereupon  legally  admitted  to  it. 
Now  God  takes  trial  of  men  for  heaven  by  humbling 
circumstances,  as  the  whole  Bible  teacheth ;  and 
shall  men  be  so  very  loth  to  stoop  to  them?  I 
would  ask  you. 

(1.)  Is  it  nothinsf  to  you  to  stand  a  candidate  for 
glory,  to  be  put  on  trial  for  heaven  ?     Is  there  not 


124  ADDITIONAL  MOTIVES  URGED. 

an  honour  in  it,  an  honour  which  all  the  saints  have 
had?  James  v.  10,  11.  "Behold  we  count  them 
happy  that  endure,"  &;c.  And  a  fair  prospect  in  it, 
2  Cor.  iv.  17.  For  our  light  affliction,  which  is  but 
for  a  moment,  worketh  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding 
and  eternal  weight  of  glory."  Do  but  put  the  case, 
that  God  should  overlook  you  in  that  case,  as  one 
whom  it  is  needless  ever  to  try  on  that  head ;  that  he 
should  order  you  your  portion  in  this  life  with  full 
ease,  as  one  that  is  to  get  no  more  of  him ;  what 
would  that  be  ? 

(2.)  What  a  vast  disproportion  is  there  between 
your  trials  and  the  future  glory  ?  Your  most  hum- 
bling circumstances,  how  light  are  they  in  compari- 
son of  the  weight  of  it !  The  longest  continuance  of 
them  is  but  for  a  moment,  compared  with  that  eter- 
nal weight.  Alas  !  there  is  much  unbelief  at  the  root 
of  all  our  uneasiness  under  our  humbling  circum- 
stances. Had  we  a  clearer  view  of  the  other  world, 
we  should  not  make  so  much  of  either  the  smiles  or 
frowns  of  this. 

(3.)  What  think  ye  of  coming  foul  off  in  the  trial 
of  your  humbling  circumstances  ?  Jer.  vi.  29,  30. 
"The  lead  is  consumed  of  the  fire;  the  founder 
melteth  in  vain ;  for  the  wicked  are  not  plucked 
away.  Reprobate  silver  shall  men  call  them,  because 
the  Lord  hath  rejected  them."  That  the  issue  of  it 
be  only,  that  your  heart  appear  of  such  a  temper  as 
by  no  means  to  be  humbled  ;  and  that  therefore  you 
must  and  shall  be  taken  off  them,  while  yet  no  hum- 
bling appears.  I  think  the  awfulness  of  the  dispen- 
sation is  such,  as  might  set  us  to  our  knees  to 
deprecate  the  lifting  us  up  from  our  humbling  cir- 
cumstances, ere  our  hearts  are  humbled,  Isa.  i.  5. 
Ezek.  xxiv.  13. 

9.  Think  with  yourselves,  how,  by  humbling  cir- 


ADDITIONAL  MOTIVES  URGED.  125 

cumstances,  the  Lord  prepares  us  for  heaven,  "  Giv- 
ing thanks  unto  the  Father,  who  hath  made  us  meet 
to  be  partakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in 
light,"  Col.  i.  12;  2  Cor.  v.  5.  The  stones  and 
timber  are  laid  down,  turned  over  and  over,  and 
hewed,  ere  they  be  set  up  in  the  building;  and  not 
set  up  just  as  they  come  out  of  the  quarry  and  wood. 
Were  they  capable  of  a  choice,  such  of  them  as 
would  refuse  the  iron  tool  would  be  refused  a  place 
in  the  building.  Pray,  how  think  ye  to  be  made 
meet  for  heaven,  by  the  warm  sunshine  of  this 
world's  ease,  and  getting  all  your  will  here?  Nay, 
Sirs,  that  would  put  your  mouth  out  of  taste  for  the 
joys  of  the  other  world.  Vessels  of  dishonour  are 
fitted  for  destruction  that  way ;  but  vessels  of  honour 
for  glory  by  humbling  circumstances.  I  would  here 
say, 

(1.)  Will  nothing  please  you  but  two  heavens, 
one  here,  another  hereafter  ?  God  has  secured  one 
heaven  for  the  saints,  one  place  where  they  shall  get 
all  their  will,  wish,  and  desire ;  where  there  shall  be 
no  weight  on  them  to  hold  them  down  ;  and  that  is 
in  the  other  world.  But  ye  must  have  it  both  here 
and  there,  or  ye  cannot  digest  it.  Why  do  you  not 
quarrel  too,  that  there  are  not  two  summers  in  one 
year  ;  two  days  in  the  twenty-four  hours  ?  The  order 
of  the  one  heaven  is  as  firm  as  that  of  the  years  and 
days,  and  ye  cannot  reverse  it:  therefore,  choose  ye 
whether  you  will  take  your  night  or  your  day  first, 
your  winter  or  your  summer,  your  heaven  here  or 
hereafter. 

(2.)  Without  being  humbled  with  humbling  cir- 
cumstances in  this  life,  ye  are  not  capable  of  heaven, 
2  Cor.  V.  5.  "  Now,  he  that  hath  wrought  us  for 
the  self-same  thing  is  God."  You  may  indeed  lie 
at  ease  here  in  a  bed  of  sloth,  and  dream  of  heaven, 


126  ADDITIONAL  MOTIVES  URGED. 

big  with  hopes  of  a  fool's  paradise,  wishing  to  cast 
yourselves  just  out  of  Delilah's  lap  into  Abraham's 
bosom ;  but  except  ye  be  humbled,  ye  are  not 
capable. 

(1.)  Of  the  Bible-heaven,  that  heaven  described 
in  the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  Is  not  that  heaven 
a  lifting  up  in  due  time  ?  But,  how  shall  ye  be 
lifted  up  that  are  never  well  got  down  ?  Where  will 
your  tears  be  to  be  wiped  away?  What  place  will 
there  be  for  your  triumph,  who  will  not  fight  the  good 
fight?  How  can  it  be  a  rest  to  you,  who  cannot  sub- 
mit to  labour? 

(2.)  Of  the  saints'  heaven,  Rev.  vii.  14.  "  And 
he  said  unto  me.  These  are  they  which  came  out  of 
great  tribulation,  and  have  washed  their  robes,  and 
made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb."  This 
answers  the  question  about  Abraham,  Isaac  and 
Jacob,  and  all  ihe  saints  with  them  there  :  they  were 
brought  down  to  the  dust  by  humbling  'circum- 
stances, and  out  of  these  they  came  before  the  throne. 
How  can  ye  ever  think  to  be  lifted  up  with  them  with 
whom  ye  cannot  think  to  be  brought  down? 

(3.)  Of  Christ's  heaven,  Heb.  xii.  2.  "  Who  for 
the  joy  that  was  set  before  him,  endured  the  cross, 
despising  the  shame,  and  is  now  set  down  at  the 
right  hand  of  God."  O  !  consider  how  the  Fore- 
runner made  his  way,  Luke  xxiv.  26.  "  Ought  not 
Christ  to  have  suffered  these  things,  and  to  enter 
into  his  glory?"  And  lay  your  account  with  it,  that 
if  ye  get  where  he  is,  ye  must  go  thither  as  he  went, 
Luke  ix.  23.  "  And  he  said.  If  any  man  will  come 
after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross 
daily,  and  follow  me." 

10.  Give  up  at  length  with  your  towering  hopes 
from  this  world,  and  confine  them  to  the  world  to 
come.     Be  as  pilgrims  and  strangers  here,  looking 


ADDITIONAL  DIRECTIONS  GIVEN.  127 

for  your  rest  in  heaven,  and  not  till  ye  come  there. 
There  is  a  prevailing  evil,  Isa.  Ivii.  10.  "Thou  art 
v/earied  in  the  greatness  of  thy  way:  yet  saidst  thou 
not,  There  is  no  hope."  So  the  Babel-building  is 
still  continued,  though  it  has  fallen  down  again  and 
again  :  for  men  say,  "  The  bricks  are  fallen  down, 
but  we  will  build  with  hewn  stones ;  the  sycamores 
are  cut  down,  but  we  will  change  them  into  cedars." 
Isa.  ix.  10.  This  makes  humbling  work  very  long- 
some  ;  we  are  so  hard  to  quit  hold  of  the  creature, 
to  fall  off  from  the  breast  and  be  weaned  :  but  fasten 
on  the  other  world,  and  let  your  hold  of  this  go ;  so 
shall  ye  "  be  humbled"  indeed  under  "  the  mighty 
hand."  The  faster  you  hold  the  happiness  of  that 
world,  the  easier  will  it  be  to  accommodate  your- 
selves to  your  humbling  circumstances  here. 

11.  Make  use  of  Christ  in  all  his  offices,  for  your 
humiliation  under  your  humbling  circumstances. 
That  only  is  kindly  humiliation  that  comes  in  this 
way,  Zech,  xii.  10.  "  And  they  shall  look  upon  me 
whom  they  have  pierced,  and  they  shall  mourn,"  (fee. 
This  you  must  do  by  trusting  on  him  for  that  effect, 

(1.)  As  a  Priest  for  you.  You  have  a  conscience, 
full  of  guilt,  and  that  will  make  one  uneasy  in  any 
circumstances;  and  far  more  in  humbling  circum- 
stances; it  will  be  like  a  thorn  in  the  shoulder  on 
which  a  burden  is  laid.  But  the  blood  of  Christ  will 
purge  the  conscience,  draw  out  the  thorn,  give  ease, 
Isa.  xxxiii.  24,  and  fit  for  service,  doing  or  suffering, 
Heb.  ix.  14.  "  How  much  more  shall  the  blood  of 
Christ — purge  your  conscience  from  dead  works  to 
serve  the  living  God  ?" 

(2.)  As  your  Prophet  to  teach   you.     We  have 

need  to  be  taught  rightly  to   discern  our  humbling 

circumstances;   for,  often  we  mistake  them  so  far, 

that  they  prove  an  oppressive  load ;  whereas,  could 

13 


128  THE  HUMBLE  SHALL  BE  LIFTED  UP. 

we  rightly  see  them,  just  as  God  sets  them  to  us, 
they  would  be  humbling,  but  not  so  oppressive. 
Truly  we  need  Christ,  and  the  light  of  his  word  and 
Spirit,  to  let  us  see  our  cross  and  trial  as  well  as  our 
duty,  Psal.  xxv.  9,  10. 

(3.)  As  your  King.  You  have  a  stiff  heart,  loth 
to  bow,  even  in  humbling  circumstances :  take  a 
lesson  from  Moses  what  to  do  in  such  a  case,  Exod. 
xxxiv.  9.  *'  And  he  said,  Let  my  Lord,  I  pray 
thee,  go  amongst  us,  (for  it  is  a  stiff-necked  people,) 
and  pardon  our  iniquity  and  our  sin."  Put  it  in  his 
hand  that  is  strong  and  mighty,  Psal.  xxiv.  8.  He 
is  able  to  cause  it  to  melt,  and,  like  wax  before  the 
fire,  turn  to  the  seal. 

Think  on  these  directions,  in  order  to  put  them  in 
practice,  remembering:  if  ye  know  these  things, 
happy  are  ye  if  ye  do  them.  Remember  humbling 
work  is  a  work  that  will  fill  your  hand,  while  you 
live  here,  and  that  you  cannot  come  to  the  end  of  it 
till  death ;  and  humbling  circumstances  will  attend 
you,  while  you  are  in  this  lower  world.  A  change 
of  them  ye  may  get;  but  a  freedom  from  them  ye 
cannot,  till  ye  come  to  heaven.  So  the  humbling 
circumstances  of  our  imperfections,  relations,  contra- 
dictions, afflictions,  uncertainties,  and  sinfulness,  will 
afford  matter  of  exercise  to  us  while  here. — What 
remains  of  the  purpose  of  this  text,  1  shall  com- 
prise in, 

DocT.  IL  There  is  a  due  time,  wherein  those  that 
now  humble  themselves  under  the  mighty  hand  of 
God  will  certainly  be  lifted  up, 

1.  Those  who  shall  share  of  this  lifting  up,  must 
lay  their  account,  in  the  first  place,  with  a  casting 
down,  Rev.  vii.  14. ;  John  xvi.  33.     *•  In  the  world 


HUMILIATION  NECESSARY.  129 

ye  shall  have  tribulation."  There  is  no  coming  to 
the  promised  land,  according  to  the  settled  method 
of  grace,  but  through  the  wilderness ;  nor  entering 
into  this  exaltation,  but  through  a  strait  gate.  If  we 
cannot  away  with  the  casting  down,  we  shall  not 
taste  the  sweet  of  the  lifting  up. 

2.  Being  cast  down  by  the  mighty  hand  of  God, 
we  must  learn  to  lie  still  and  quiet  under  it,  till  the 
same  hand  that  cast  us  down  raise  us  up,  if  we 
would  share  of  this  promised  lifting  up.  Lam.  iii. 
27.  It  is  not  the  being  cast  down  into  humbling 
circumstances,  by  the  providence  of  God,  but  the 
coming  down  of  our  spirits  under  them,  by  the  grace 
of  God,  that  brings  us  within  the  compass  of  this 
promise. 

3.  Those  who  are  never  humbled  in  humbling  cir- 
cumstances shall  never  be  lifted  up  in  the  way  of  this 
promise.  Men  may  keep  their  spirits  on  the  high 
bend  in  their  humbling  circumstances,  and  in  that 
case  may  get  a  lifting  up,  Prov.  xvi.  19;  but  such 
a  lifting  up,  as  will  end  in  a  more  grievous  fall. 
'*  Surely  thou  didst  set  them  in  slippery  places,  thou 
castedst  them  down  in  a  moment."  Psalm  Ixxiii.  18. 
But  they  who  will  not  humble  themselves  in  hum- 
bling circumstances,  will  find  that  their  obstinacy 
will  keep  their  misery  ever  fast  on  them  without 
remedy. 

4.  Humility  of  spirit,  in  humbling  circumstances, 
ascertains  a  lifting  up  out  of  them  some  time,  with 
the  good- will  and  favour  of  heaven,  Luke  xviii.  14. 
"  I  tell  you  this  man  went  down  to  his  house  justified 
rather  than  the  other ;  for  every  one  that  exalteth 
himself  shall  be  abased,  and  he  that  humbleth  him- 
self shall  be  exalted."  Solomon  observes,  Prov. 
XV.  1.  that  "  a  soft  answer  turneth  away  wrath  ;  but 
grievous  words  stir  up  anger."     And  so  it  is,  that 


130  THERE  MUST  BE  A  WAITING  TIME. 

while  the  proud,  through  their  obstinacy,  do  but 
wreathe  the  yoke  faster  about  their  own  necks,  the 
humble  ones,  by  their  yielding,  make  their  relief 
sure,  1  Sam.  ii.  8 — 10.  "  He  raiseth  up  the  poor 
out  of  the  dust,  and  lifteth  up  the  beggar  from  the 
dunghill,  to  set  them  among  princes,  and  to  make 
them  inherit  the  throne  of  glory.  He  will  keep  the 
feet  of  his  saints,  and  the  wicked  shall  be  silent  in 
darkness;  for  by  strength  shall  no  man  prevail.  The 
adversaries  of  the  Lord  shall  be  broken  in  pieces." 
So  cannon  will  break  down  a  stone  wall,  while  yield- 
ing packs  of  wool  will  take  away  its  force. 

5.  There  is  an  appointed  time  for  the  lifting  up  of 
those  that  humble  themselves  in  their  humbling  cir- 
cumstances, Hab.  ii.  3.  "  For  the  vision  is  yet  for 
an  appointed  time,  but  at  the  end  it  shall  speak  and 
not  lie:  though  it  tarry,  wait  for  it;  because  it  will 
surely  come,  it  will  not  tarry."  To  every  thing 
there  is  a  time,  as  for  humbling,  so  for  lifting  up, 
Eccles.  iii.  3.  We  know  it  not,  but  God  knows  it, 
who  hath  appointed  it.  Let  not  the  humble  one  say, 
I  shall  never  be  lifted  up.  There  is  a  time  fixed  for 
it,  as  precisely  as  for  the  rising  of  the  sun  after  a  long 
and  dark  night,  or  the  return  of  the  spring  after  a 
long  and  sharp  winter. 

6.  It  is  not  to  be  expected,  that  immediately  upon 
one's  humbling  himself,  the  lifting  up  is  to  follow. 
No :  one  is  not  merely  to  lie  down  under  the  mighty 
hand,  but  to  lie  still,  waiting  the  due  time;  hum- 
bling work  is  longsome  work;  the  Israelites  had 
forty  years  of  it  in  the  wilderness.  God's  people 
must  be  brought  to  put  a  blank  in  his  hand,  as  to 
the  time ;  and  while  they  have  a  long  night  of  walk- 
ing iu  darkness,  must  trust,  Isa.  I.  10.  "  Who  is 
among  you,  that  feareth  the  Lord,  that  obeyeth  the 
voice  of  his  servant,  that  walketh  in  darkness  and 


THERE  IS  A  TWO-FOLD  LIFTING  UP.  131 

hath  no  light?     Let  him  trust  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  and  stay  upon  his  God." 

7.  The  appointed  time  for  the  lifting  up  is  the  due 
time,  the  time  fittest  for  it,  wherein  it  will  come  most 
seasonably.  "  And  let  us  not  be  weary  in  well- 
doing; for,  in  due  season  we  shall  reap,  if  we  faint 
not,"  Gal.  vi.  9.  For  that  is  the  time  God  has 
chosen  for  it;  and  be  sure  his  choice,  as  the  choice 
of  infinite  wisdom,  is  the  best;  and  therefore  faith 
sets  to  wait  it,  Isa.  xxviii.  16.  "  He  that  believeth 
shall  not  make  haste."  Much  of  the  beauty  of  any 
thing  depends  on  the  timing  of  it,  and  he  has  fixed 
that  in  all  that  he  does,  Eccl.  iii.  11.  "He  hath 
made  every  thing  beautiful  in  his  time." 

8.  The  lifting  up  of  the  humble  will  not  fail  to 
come  in  the  appointed  and  due  time,  Hab.  ii.  3. 
Time  makes  no  halting,  it  is  running  day  and  night; 
so  the  due  time  is  fast  coming,  and  when  it  comes,  it 
will  bring  the  lifting  up  along  with  it.  Let  the  hum- 
bling circumstances  be  ever  so  low,  ever  so  hopeless, 
it  is  impossible  but  the  lifting  up  from  them  must 
come  in  the  due  time. 

A  word,  in  tlie  general,  to  the  lifting  up,  abiding 
those  that  humble  themselves.  There  is  a  two-fold 
lifting  up. 

1.  A  partial  lifting  up,  competent  to  the  humbled 
in  time,  during  this  life,  Psal.  xxx.  1.  "  I  will  extol 
thee,  O  Lord,  for  thou  hast  lifted  me  up,  and  hast 
not  made  my  foes  to  rejoice  over  me."  This  is  a 
lifting  up  in  part,  and  but  in  part,  not  wholly ;  and 
such  liftings  up  the  humbled  may  expect,  while  in 
this  world,  but  no  more. — These  give  a  breathing  to 
the  weary,  a  change  of  burdens,  but  do  not  set  them 
at  perfect  ease.  So  Israel,  in  the  wilderness,  in  the 
midst  of  their  many  mourning  times,  had  some  sing- 
ing ones,  Exod.  xv.  1 ;  Numbers  xxi.  17. 
13* 


132  THE  ONE  PARTIAL,  THE  OTHER  TOTAL. 

2,  A  total  lifting  up,  competent  to  them  at  the 
end  of  lime,  at  death,  Luke  xvi.  22.  "  It  came  to 
pass,  that  the  beggar  died,  and  was  carried,  by  the 
angels,  into  Abraham's  bosom."  Then  the  Lord 
deals  with  them  no  more  by  parcels,  but  carries 
their  relief  to  perfection,  Heb.  xii.  22,  23.  Then 
he  takes  off  all  their  burdens,  eases  them  of  all  their 
weights,  and  lays  no  more  on  forever.  He  then  lifts 
them  up  to  a  height  they  were  never  at  before ;  no, 
not  even  at  their  higliest.  He  sets  them  quite  above 
all  that  is  low,  and  therein  fixes  them,  never  to  be 
brought  down  more.  Now,  there  is  a  due  time  for 
both  these. 

(1.)  For  the  partial  lifting  up.  Every  time  is  not 
fit  for  it;  we  are  not  always  fit  to  receive  comfort 
and  ease,  or  a  change  of  our  burdens.  God  sees 
there  are  times  wherein  it  is  needful  for  his  people 
to  be  "  in  heaviness,"  1  Pet.  i.  6,  to  have  their 
*'  hearts  brought  down  with  grief,"  Psal.  cvii.  12. 
But  then  there  is  a  time  really  appointed  for  it  in 
the  divine  wisdom,  when  he  will  think  it  as  needful  to 
comfort  them,  as  before  to  bring  down,  2  Cor.  ii.  7. 
**  So  that,  contrarywise,  ye  ought  rather  to  forgive, 
and  comfort  him,  lest  perhaps  such  an  one  should  be 
swallowed  up  with  over  much  sorrow."  We  are,  in 
that  case,  in  the  hand  of  God,  as  in  the  hand  of  our 
physician,  who  appoints  the  time  the  drawing  plaster 
shall  continue,  and  when  the  healing  plaster  shall  be 
applied,  and  leaves  it  not  to  the  patient. 

(2.)  For  the  total  lifting  up.  When  we  are  sore 
oppressed  with  our  burdens,  we  are  ready  to  think, 
Oh  !  to  be  away,  and  set  beyond  them  all.  Job  vii. 
2,  3.  "  As  a  servant  earnestly  desireth  the  shadow, 
and  as  an  hireling  lookelh  for  the  reward  of  his 
work ;  so  am  I  made  to  possess  months  of  vanity, 
and  wearisome  nights  are  appointed  to   me."     But 


THE  LIFTING  UP  OF  THE  HUMBLE  SURE.  133 

it  may  be  fitter,  for  all  that,  that  we  stay  awhile,  and 
struggle  with  our  burdens,  Phil.  i.  24,  25.  "  Ne- 
vertheless, to  abide  in  the  flesh  is  more  needful  for 
you.  And  having  this  confidence,  I  know  that  I 
shall  abide  and  continue  with  you  all,  for  your  fur- 
therance and  joy  of  faith."  A  few  days  might  have 
taken  Israel  out  of  Egypt  into  Canaan ;  but  they 
would  have  been  too  soon  there,  if  they  had  made 
all  that  speed ;  so  they  behoved  to  spend  forty  years 
in  the  wilderness,  till  their  due  time  of  entering  Ca- 
naan should  come.  And  be  sure  the  saints  entering 
heaven  will  be  convinced,  that  the  time  of  it  is  best 
chosen,  and  there  will  be  a  beauty  in  that  it  was  no 
sooner.  And  thus  a  lifting  up  is  secured  for  the 
humble. 

If  one  should  assure  you,  when  reduced  to  po- 
verty, that  the  time  would  certainly  come  yet, 
that  you  should  be  rich;  when  sore  sick,  that  you 
should  not  die  of  that  disease,  but  certainly  recover; 
that  would  help  you  to  bear  your  poverty  and  sick- 
ness the  better,  and  you  would  comfort  yourselves 
with  that  prospect.  However,  one  may  continue 
poor,  and  never  be  rich,  may  be  sick,  and  die  of  his 
disease  ;  but  whoever  humble  themselves  under  their 
humbling  circumstances,  we  can  assure  them  from 
the  Lord's  word  they  shall  certainly,  without  all  per- 
adventure,  be  lifted  up  out  of,  and  relieved  from, 
their  humbling  circumstances:  they  shall  certainly 
see  the  day  of  their  ease  and  relief,  when  they  shall 
remember  their  burdens  as  waters  that  fail.  And 
you  may  be  assured  thereof,  from  the  following  con- 
siderations. 

The  nature  of  God,  duly  considered,  ensures  it, 
Psal.  ciii.  8,  9.  "  The  Lord  is  merciful  and  gracious, 
slow  to  anger,  and  plenteous  in  mercy.  He  will 
not  always  chide ;  neither  will  he  keep  his  anger  for 


134  FROM  THE  PERFECTIONS  OF  GOD. 

ever."  The  humbled  soul,  looking  to  God  in  Christ, 
may  see  three  things,  in  hisnature  jointly  securing  it. 

1.  Infinite  power,  that  can  do  all  things.  No  cir- 
cumstances are  so  low,  but  he  can  raise  them ;  so 
entangling  and  perplexing,  but  he  can  unravel  them ; 
so  hopeless,  but  he  can  remedy  them.  Gen.  xviii.  14. 
"  Is  any  thing  too  hard  for  the  Lord  ?"  Be  our  case 
what  it  will,  it  is  never  past  reach  with  him  to  help 
it ;  but  then,  it  is  the  most  proper  season  for  him  to 
take  it  in  hand,  when  all  others  have  given  it  over, 
Deut.  xxxii.  36.  "  For  the  Lord  shall  judge  his 
people,  and  repent  himself  for  his  servants ;  when  he 
seeth  that  their  power  is  gone,  and  there  is  none  shut 
up,  or  left." 

2.  Infinite  goodness  inclining  to  help.  He  is  good 
and  gracious  in  his  nature,  Exod.  xxxiv.  6,  7.  And 
therefore  his  power  is  a  spring  of  comfort  to  them, 
Rom.  xiv.  4.  Men  may  be  willing  that  are  notable, 
or  able  that  are  not  willing;  but  infinite  goodness, 
joining  infinite  power  in  God,  may  ascertain  the 
humbled  of  a  lifting  up  in  due  time.  That  is  a  word 
of  inconceivable  sweetness,  1  John  iv.  16.  "  And 
we  have  known  and  believed  the  love  that  God  hath 
unto  us.  God  is  love  ;  and  he  that  dwelleth  in  love, 
dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in  him."  He  has  the 
bowels  of  a  father  towards  the  humble,  Psal.  ciii.  13. 
"  Like  as  a  father  pitieth  his  children,  so  the  Lord 
pitieth  them  that  fear  him."  Yea,  bowels  of  mercy 
more  tender  than  a  mother  to  her*sucking  child,  Isa. 
xlix.  15.  Wherefore,  howbeit  his  wisdom  may  see 
it  necessary  to  put  them  in  humbling  circumstances, 
and  keep  them  there  for  a  time,  it  is  not  possible  he 
can  leave  them  therein  altogether. 

3.  Infinite  wisdom,  that  doth  nothing  in  vain,  and 
therefore  will  not  needlessly  keep  one  in  humbling 
circumstances,  Lam.   iii.  32,  33.     "But  though  he 


FROM  THE  REVOLUTIONS  OF  NATURE.       135 

cause  grief,  yet  will  he  have  compassion  according 
to  the  multitude  of  his  mercies  ;  for  he  dolh  not 
afflict  willingly,  nor  grieve  the  children  of  men." 
God  sends  afflictions  for  humbling,  as  the  end  and 
design  to  be  brought  about  by  them  ;  when  what  is 
obtained,  and  there  is  no  more  use  for  them  that  way, 
we  may  assure  ourselves  they  will  be  taken  off. 

The  providence  of  God,  viewed  in  its  stated  me- 
thods of  procedure  with  its  objects,  ensures  it.  Turn 
your  eyes  which  way  you  will  on  the  divine  provi- 
dence, you  may  conclude  thence,  that  in  due  time 
the  humble  will  be  lifted  up. 

Observe  the  providence  of  God,  in  the  revolutions 
of  the  whole  course  of  nature,  day  succeeding  to  the 
longest  night,  a  summer  to  the  winter,  a  waxing  to 
a  waning  of  the  moon,  a  flowing  to  an  ebbing  of  the 
sea,  (fee.  Let  not  the  Lord's  humbled  ones  be  idle 
spectators  of  these  things  :  they  are  for  our  learning, 
Jer.  xxxi.  35 — 37.  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  which 
giveth  the  sun  for  a  light  by  day,  and  the  ordinances 
of  the  moon,  and  of  the  stars  for  a  light  by  night, 
which  divideth  the  sea,  when  the  waves  thereof 
roar;  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  his  name.  If  those  ordi- 
nances depart  from  before  me,  saith  the  Lord,  then 
the  seed  of  Israel  also  shall  cease  from  being  a  nation 
before  me  for  ever."  Will  the  Lord's  hand  keep  such 
a  steady  course  in  the  earth,  sea,  and  visible  hea- 
vens, as  to  bring  a  lifting  up  in  them  after  a  casting 
down,  and  only  forget  his  humbled  ones?  No,  by 
no  means. 

Observe  the  providence  of  God,  in  the  dispensa- 
tions thereof,  about  the  man  Christ,  the  most  no- 
ble and  august  object  thereof,  more  valuable  than 
a  thousand  worlds.  Col.  ii.  9.  Did  not  providence 
keep  this  course  with  him,  first  humbling  him,  then 
exalting  him,  and  lifting  him  up  ?  first  bringing  him 


136    THE  HUMILIATION  AND  EXALTATION  OF  CHRIST. 

lo  the  dust  of  death,  in  a  course  of  sufferings  thirty- 
three  years,  then  exalting  Iiim  to  the  Father's  right 
hand  in  an  eternity  of  glory  ?  Heb.  xii.  2.  "  Who 
for  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him,  endured  the  cross, 
despising  the  shame,  and  is  now  set  down  at  the  right 
hand  of  the  throne  of  God."  Phil.  ii.  8,  9.  *'  And 
being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he  humbled  him- 
self, and  became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death 
of  the  cross;  wherefore  God  also  hath  highly  ex- 
alted him."  The  exaltation  could  not  fail  to  follow 
his  humiliation,  Luke  xxiv.  26.  "  Ought  not  Christ 
to  have  suffered  these  things,  and  to  enter  into  his 
glory  ?"  And  he  saw  and  believed  it  would  follow, 
as  the  springing  of  the  seed  doth  the  sowing  it,  John 
xii.  24.  There  is  a  near  concern  the  humbled  in 
humbling  circumstances  have  herein. 

This  is  the  pattern  Providence  copies  after  in  its 
conduct  towards  you.  The  Father  was  so  well 
pleased  with  this  method,  in  the  case  of  his  own  Son, 
that  it  was  determined  to  be  followed,  and  just  co- 
pied over  again  in  the  case  of  all  the  heirs  of  glory, 
Rom.  viii.  29.  "  For  whom  he  did  foreknow,  he  also 
did  predestinate  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  his 
Son,  that  he  "  might  be  the  first  born  among  many 
brethren."  And  who  would  not  be  pleased  to  walk 
through  the  darkest  valley  treading  his  steps  ? 

This  is  a  sure  pledge  of  your  lifting  up.  Christ, 
in  his  state  of  humiliation,  was  considered  as  a  pub- 
lic person  and  representative,  and  so  is  he  in  his 
exaltation.  So  Christ's  exaltation  ensures  your 
exaltation  out  of  your  humbling  circumstances, 
"  Thy  dead  men  shall  live,  together  with  my  dead 
body  shall  they  arise ;  awake  and  sing,  ye  that  dwell 
in  the  dust,"  Isa.  xxvi.  19.  "  Come  and  let  us  return 
unto  the  Lord :  for  he  hath  torn,  and  he  will  heal  us ; 
he  hath  smitten,  and  he  will  bind  us  up.     After  two 


THE  DISPENSATIONS  OF  PROVIDENCE.  137 

days  he  will  revive  us:  in  the  third  day,  he  will 
raise  us  up,  and  we  shall  live  in  his  sight."  Hos.  vi. 
1,  2.  And  hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made  us 
sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus."  Eph. 
ii.  6.  Yea,  he  is  gone  into  the  state  of  glory  for  us 
as  our  forerunner.  "Whither  the  forerunner  is  for 
lis  entered,  even  Jesus,  made  an  high  priest  for  ever." 
Heb.  vi.  20. 

His  humiliation  was  the  price  of  your  exaltation, 
and  his  exaltation  a  testimony  of  the  acceptance 
of  its  payment  to  the  full.  There  are  no  humbling 
circumstances  ye  are  in,  but  ye  would  have  perished 
in  them,  had  not  he  purchased  your  lifting  up  out  of 
them  by  his  own  humiliation,  Isa.  xxvi.  19.  Now, 
his  humbling  grace  in  you  is  an  evidence  of  the  ac- 
ceptance of  his  humiliation  for  your  lifting  up. 

Observe  the  providence  of  God  towards  the  church 
in  all  ages.  This  has  been  the  course  the  Lord  has 
kept  with  her,  Psal.  cxxix.  1 — 4.  Abel  was  slain 
by  wicked  Cain,  to  the  great  grief  of  Adam  and  Eve, 
and  the  rest  of  their  pious  children  ;  but  then  there 
was  another  seed  raised  up  in  Abel's  room.  Genesis 
iv.  25.  Noah  and  his  sons  were  buried  alive  in  the 
ark  for  more  than  a  year:  but  then  they  were  brought 
out  into  a  new  world  and  blessed.  Abraham  .for 
many  years  went  childless  ;  but  at  length  Isaac  was 
born.  Israel  was  long  in  miserable  bondage  in 
Egypt ;  but  at  length  seated  in  the  promised  land,  &;c. 
We  must  be  content  to  go  by  the  footsteps  of  the 
flock ;  and  if  in  humiliation,  we  shall  surely  follow 
them  in  exaltation  too. 

Observe  the  providence  of  God  in  the  dispensa- 
tions of  his  grace  towards  his  children.  The  general 
rule  is,  1  Pet.  v.  5.  "  For  God  resisteth  the  proud, 
and  giveth  grace  to  the  humble."  How  are  they 
brought  into  a  state  of  grace  ?     Is  it  not  by  a  sound 


138  THE  DOCTRINES  OF  THE  WORD. 

work  of  humiliation  going  before?  Luke  vi.  48.  And 
ordinarily  the  greater  the  measure  of  grace  designed 
for  any,  the  deeper  is  their  humiliation  before,  as  in 
Paul's  case.  If  they  are  to  be  recovered  out  of  a 
backsliding  case,  the  same  method  is  followed  :  so 
that  the  deepest  humiliation  ordinarily  makes  way 
for  the  greatest  comfort,  and  the  darkest  hour  goes 
before  the  rising  of  the  Sun  of  righteousness  upon 
them,  Isa.  Ixvi.  5 — 13. 

Observe  the  providence  of  God  at  length  throw- 
ing down  wicked  men,  however  long  they  stand  and 
prosper,  Psal.  xxxvii.  25,  36.  "I  have  seen  the 
wicked  in  great  power,  and  spreading  himself  like  a 
green  bay  tree ;  yet  he  passed  away,  and  lo  he  was 
not;  yea,  I  sought  him  but  he  could  not  be  found." 
They  are  long  green  before  the  sun,  but  at  length 
they  are  suddenly  smitten  with  an  east  wind,  and 
wither  away;  their  lamp  goes  out  with  a  stench,  and 
they  are  put  out  in  obscure  darkness.  Now,  it  is 
inconsistent  with  the  benignity  of  the  divine  nature, 
to  forget  the  humble  to  raise  them,  while  he  minds 
the  proud  to  abase  them. 

The  word  of  God  puts  it  beyond  all  peradventure, 
which,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end,  is  the  humbled 
saint's  security  for  a  lifting  up,  Psal.  cxix.  49,  50. 
"Remember  the  word  unto  thy  servant,  upon  which 
thou  hast  caused  me  to  hope.  This  is  my  comfort 
in  my  affliction  ;  for  thy  word  hath  quickened  me.'* 
His  word  is  the  great  letter  of  his  name,  which  he 
will  certainly  cause  to  shine,  Psal.  cxxxviii.  2.  "  For 
thou  hast  magnified  thy  word  above  all  thy  name ;" 
and  in  all  generations  hast  been  safely  relied  on, 
Psal.  xii.  6.     Consider 

1.  The  doctrines  of  the  word,  which  leach  faith 
and  hope  for  the  time,  and  the  happy  issue  which 
the  exercise  of  these  graces  will  have.     The  whole 


THE  PROMISES  AND  EXAMPLES  OF  THE  WORD.        139 

current  of  Scripture,  to  those  in  humbling  circum- 
stances, is,  "  not  to  cast  away  their  confidence,  but 
to  hope  to  the  end;"  and  that  for  this  good  reason, 
that  "  it  shall  not  be  in  vain."  See  Psal.  xxvii.  14. 
"  Wait  on  the  Lord ;  be  of  good  courage,  and  he 
shall  strengthen  thine  heart;  wait,  I  say,  on  the 
Lord."  And  compare  Rom.  ix.  33;  Isa.  xlix.  23. 
"  For  they  shall  not  be  ashamed  that  wait  for  me." 

2.  The  promises  of  the  word,  whereby  hea- 
ven is  expressly  engaged  for  a  lifting  up  to  those 
that  humble  themselves  in  humbling  circumstances, 
*'  Humble  yourselves  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and 
he  shall  lift  you  up,"  James  iv.  10.  "  And  he  that 
humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted,"  Matt,  xxiii.  12. 
It  may  take  a  time  to  prepare  them  for  lifting  up, 
but  that  being  done,  it  is  secured,  "  Lord,  thou 
hast  heard  the  desire  of  the  humble;  thou  wilt  pre- 
pare their  heart ;  thon  wilt  cause  thine  ear  to  hear," 
Psal.  x.  17.  They  have  his  word  for  deliverance, 
Psal.  1.  15.  And  though  they  may  seem  to  be  for- 
gotten, they  shall  not  be  always  so;  the  time  of 
their  deliverance  will  come.  "  For  the  needy  shall 
not  always  be  forgotten:  the  expectation  of  the  poor 
shall  not  perish  for  ever,"  Psal.  ix.  18.  "  He  will 
regard  the  prayer  of  the  destitute,  and  not  despise 
their  prayer,"  Psa.  cii.  17. 

3.  The  examples  of  the  word  sufficiently  con- 
firming|lhe  truth  of  the  doctrines  and  promises,  Rom. 
XV.  4.  '*  For  whatsoever  things  were  written  afore- 
time, were  written  for  our  learning ;  that  we  through 
patience  and  comfort  of  the  scriptures  might  have 
hope."  In  the  doctrines  and  promises  the  lifting  up 
is  proposed  to  our  faith,  to  be  reckoned  on  the 
credit  of  God's  word ;  but,  in  the  examples  it  is,  in 
the  case  of  others,  set  before  our  eyes  to  be  seen. 
James  v.  11.   '*  Behold  we  count  them  happy  which 

14 


140  THE  INTERCESSION  OF  CHRIST. 

endure.  Ye  have  heard  of  the  patience  of  Job,  and 
have  seen  the  end  of  the  Lord;  that  the  Lord  is  very- 
pitiful,  and  of  tender  mercy."  There  we  see  it  in 
the  case  of  Abraham,  Job,  David,  Paul,  and  other 
saints;  but  above  all,  in  the  case  of  the  man  Christ. 

4.  The  intercession  of  Christ,  joining  the  prayers 
and  cries  of  his  humbled  people,  in  their  humbling 
circumstances,  ensures  a  lifting  up  for  them  at  length. 
Be  it  so,  that  the  proud  cry  not  when  he  bindeth 
them ;  yet  his  own  humbled  ones  will  certainly  cry 
unto  him,  Psal.  xlii.  7,  8.  "  Deep  calleth  unto  deep, 
at  the  noise  of  thy  water  spouts ;  all  thy  waves  and 
thy  billows  are  gone  over  me.  Yet  the  Lord  will 
command  his  loving-kindness  in  the  day-time,  and 
in  the  night  his  song  shall  be  with  me,  and  my 
prayer  unto  the  God  of  my  life."  And  though  un- 
believers may  soon  be  outwearied,  and  give  it  over 
altogether,  surely  believers  will  not  do  so ;  but  though 
they  may,  in  a  fit  of  temptation,  lay  it  by  as  hope- 
less, they  will  find  themselves  obliged  to  take  it  up 
again,  Jer.  xx.  9.  "  Then  I  said,  I  will  not  make 
mention  of  him,  nor  speak  any  more  in  his  name. 
But  his  word  was  in  mine  heart  as  a  burning  fire 
shut  up  in  my  bones  and  I  was  weary  with  forbear- 
ing, and  I  could  not  stay.''  They  will  cry,  night 
and  day,  unto  him,  Luke  xviii.  7,  knowing  no  time 
for  giving  it  over  till  they  be  lifted  up.  Lam.  iii. 
49,  50.  "  Mine  eye  trickleth  down,  and  ceaseth  not, 
without  any  intermission;  till  the  Lord  look  down, 
and  behold  from  heaven."  Now,  Christ's  interces- 
sion being  joined  with  these  cries,  there  cannot  fail 
to  be  a  lifting  up. 

Christ's  intercession  is  certainly  joined  with  the 
cries  and  prayers  of  the  humbled  in  their  humbling 
circumstances.  Rev.  viii.  3.  "  And  another  angel 
came  and  stood  at  the  altar,  having  a  golden  censer, 


THE  INTERCESSION  OF  CHRIST.  141 

and  there  was  given  unto  him  much  incense,  that 
he  should  offer  it  with  the  prayers  of  all  saints  upon 
the  golden  altar  which  was  before  the  throne."  They 
are  by  the  Spirit  helped  to  groan  for  relief,  Rom. 
viii.  26,  and  the  prayers  and  groans,  which  are 
through  the  Spirit,  are  certainly  to  be  made  effectual 
by  the  intercession  of  the  Son,  James  v.  16.  And 
ye  may  know  they  are  by  the  Spirit,  if  so  be  ye  are 
helped  to  continue  praying,  hoping  for  your  suit  at 
last  on  the  ground  of  God's  word  of  promise;  for 
nature's  praying  is  a  pool  that  will  dry  up  in  a  long 
drought.  The  Spirit  of  prayer  is  the  lasting  spring, 
John  iv.  14;  Psal.  cxxxviii.  3.  "  In  the  day  when 
I  cried,  thou  answeredst  me ;  and  strengthenedst  me 
with  strength  in  my  soul."  Truly  there  is  an  inter- 
cession in  heaven,  on  account  of  the  humbling  cir- 
cumstances of  the  humble  ones.  "  Then  the  angel 
of  the  Lord  answered  and  said,  O  Lord  of  hosts, 
how  long  wilt  thou  not  have  mercy  on  Jerusalem, 
and  on  the  cities  of  Judah,  against  which  thou  hast 
had  indignation  these  threescore  and  ten  years?" 
Zech.  i.  12.  How  then  can  they  miss  of  a  lifting  up 
in  due  time? 

Christ  is  in  deep  earnest  in  his  intercession  for 
his  people  in  their  humbling  circumstances.  Some 
will  sj)eak  a  good  word  in  favour  of  the  helpless, 
that  will  be  little  concerned  whether  they  speed  or 
not;  but  our  Intercessor  is  in  earnest  in  behalf  of 
his  humbled  ones :  for  he  is  touched  with  sympathy 
in  their  case,  Isa.  Ixiii.  9.  "  In  all  their  affliction  he 
was  afflicted."  A  most  tender  sympathy,  Zech.  ii.  8. 
"  For  he  that  toucheth  you,  toucheth  the  apple  of  his 
eye."  He  has  their  case  upon  his  heart,  where  he  is  in 
the  holy  place  in  the  highest  heavens,  Exod.  xxviii.  29, 
and  he  keeps  an  exact  account  of  the  time  of  their 
humbling  circumstances,  be  it  as  long  as  it  will. 


142  THE  PARTIAL  LIFTING  UP  CONSIDERED. 

Zech.  i.  12.  Moreover,  it  is  his  own  business;  the 
lifting  up  which  they  are  to  have  is  a  thing  that  is 
secured  to  him  in  the  promises  made  to  him  on  the 
account  of  his  blood  shed  for  them,  Psal.  Ixxxix, 
33 — 36.  So  not  only  are  they  looking  on  earth, 
but  the  man  Christ  is  in  heaven  looking  for  the  ac- 
complishment of  these  promises,  Heb.  x.  12,  13. 
"  But  this  man,  after  he  had  offered  one  sacrifice 
for  sins,  for  ever  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  God; 
from  henceforth  expecting  till  his  enemies  be  made 
his  footstool."  How  is  it  possible,  then,  that  he 
should  be  balked?  Moreover,  these  humbling  cir- 
cumstances are  his  own  sufferings  still,  though  not  in 
his  person,  yet  in  his  members,  Col.  i.  24.  *'  Who 
now  rejoice  in  my  sufferings  for  you,  and  fill  up  that 
which  is  behind  of  the  afflictions  of  Christ  in  my 
flesh,  for  his  body's  sake,  which  is  the  church." 
Wherefore  there  is  all  ground  to  conclude  he  is  in 
deep  earnest.     Again, 

His  intercession  is  always  effectual,  John  xi.  42. 
"  And  I  know  that  thou  hearest  me  always."  It 
cannot  miss  to  be  so,  because  he  is  the  Father's 
well-beloved  Son;  his  intercession  has  a  plea  of 
justice  for  the  ground  of  it,  1  John  ii.  1.  *'  We 
have  an  advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the 
righteous."  Moreover,  he  has  all  power  in  heaven 
and  earth  lodged  in  him.  Matt,  xxviii.  18.  And, 
finally,  he  and  his  Father  are  one,  and  their  will 
one.  So,  both  Christ  and  his  Father  do  will  the 
lifting  up  of  the  humble  ones,  but  yet  only  in  the 
due  time. 

I  now  proceed  to  a  more  particular  view  of  the 
point.  And,  1.  We  will  consider  the  lifting  up  as 
brought  about  in  time,  which  is  the  partial  lift- 
ing up. 

This    lifting  up   does    not   take   place   in   every 


THE  PARTIAL  LIFTING  UP.  143 

case  of  a  child  of  God.  One  may  be  humbled  in 
humbling  circumstances,  from  which  he  is  not  to  get 
a  lifting  up  in  time.  We  would  not  from  the  pro- 
mise presently  conclude,  that  we  being  humbled 
under  our  humbling  circumstances,  shall  certainly 
be  taken  out  of  them,  and  freed  from  them  ere  we 
get  to  the  end  of  our  journey.  For  it  is  certain, 
there  are  some,  such  as  our  imperfections,  and  sin- 
fulness, and  mortality,  we  can  by  no  means  be  rid  of 
while  in  this  world.  And  there  are  particular  hum- 
bling circumstances  the  Lord  may  bring  about  one, 
and  keep  about  him,  till  he  goes  down  to  the  grave, 
while,  in  the  mean  time,  he  may  lift  up  another  from 
the  same.  Heman  was  pressed  down  all  along  from 
his  youth,  Psal.  xxxviii.  15,  others  all  their  lifetime, 
Heb.  ii.  15. 

Object.  "  If  that  be  the  case,  what  comes  of  the 
promise  of  lifting  up?  Where  is  the  lifting  up,  if 
one  may  go  to  the  grave  under  the  weight?" 

Ans.  Were  there  no  life  after  this,  there  would  be 
ground  for  that  objection;  but  since  there  is  another 
life,  there  is  none  in  it  at  all.  In  the  other  life  the 
promise  will  be  accomplished  to  the  humbled,  as  it 
was,  Luke  xvi.  22.  Consider  that  the  great  term 
for  accomplishing  the  promises  is  the  other  life,  not 
this.  These  all  died  in  the  faith,  not  having  re- 
ceived the  promises,  but  having  seen  them  afar  off, 
and  were  persuaded  of  them,  and  embraced  them." 
Heb.  xi.  13.  And  that  whatever  accomplishment  of 
the  promise  is  here,  it  is  not  of  the  nature  of  a  stock, 
but  of  a  sample  or  a  pledge. 

Quest.  «'  But  then,  may  we  not  give  over  praying 
for  the  lifting  up,  in  that  case?" 

Ans.  We  do  not  know  when  that  is  our  case ;  for 
a  case  may  be  past  all  hope  in  our  eyes,  and  the  eyes 
of  others,  in  which  God  designs  a  lifting  up  in  time, 
14* 


144  THE  PARTIAL  LIFTING  UP. 

as  in  Job's,  chap.  vL  11.  ♦'  What  is  my  strength  that 
I  should  hope ;  and  what  is  mine  end  that  I  should 
prolong  my  life?"  But,  be  it  as  it  will,  we  should 
never  give  over  praying  for  the  lifting  up,  since  it 
will  certainly  come  to  all  who  pray  in  faith  for  it;  if 
not  here,  yet  hereafter.  The  promise  is  sure,  and 
that  is  the  commandment;  so  much  praying  cannot 
miss  of  a  happy  issue  at  length,  Psa.  1.  15.  "  Call 
upon  me  in  the  day  of  trouble ;  I  will  deliver  thee, 
and  thou  shalt  glorify  me."  The  whole  life  of  a 
Christian  is  a  praying,  waiting  life,  to  encourage 
whereunto  all  temporal  deliverances  are  given  as 
pledges,  Rom.  viii.  23.  "  And  not  only  they,  but 
ourselves  also,  which  have  the  first  fruits  of  the 
Spirit;  even  we  ourselves  groan  within  ourselves, 
waiting  for  the  adoption,  to  wit,  the  redemption  of 
our  body."  And  whoso  observes  that  full  lifting  up 
at  death  to  be  at  hand,  must  certainly  rise,  if  he  has 
given  over  his  case  as  hopeless. 

However,  there  are  some  cases  wherein  this  lifting 
up  does  take  place.  God  gives  his  people  some 
notable  liftings  up,  even  in  time  raising  them  out  of 
remarkably  humbling  circumstances.  The  storm  is 
changed  into  a  calm,  and  they  remember  it  as  waters 
that  fail,  Psa.  xl.  1—4. 

Some  may  be  in  humbling  circumstances  very 
long,  and  sore  and  hopeless,  and  yet  a  lifting  up  may 
be  abiding  them,  of  a  much  longer  continuance. 
This  is  sometimes  the  case  with  the  children  of  God, 
who  are  set  to  bear  the  yoke  in  their  youth,  as  it 
was  with  Joseph  and  David;  and  of  them  that  get 
it  laid  on  them  in  their  middle  age,  as  it  was  with 
Job,  who  could  not  be  less  than  forty  years  old  at  his 
trouble's  coming,  but  after  it,  lived  one  hundred  and 
fort}^  Job  xlii.  16.  God  by  such  methods  prepares 
man  for  peculiar  usefulness. 


THE  PARTIAL  LIFTING  UP.  145 

Others  may  be  in  humbling  circumstances  long 
and  sore,  and  quite  hopeless  in  the  ordinary  course 
of  providence,  yet  they  may  get  a  lifting  up  ere  they 
come  to  their  journey's  end.  The  life  of  some  of 
God's  children  is  like  a  cloudy  and  rainy  day, 
wherein,  in  the  evening,  the  sun  breaks  out  from 
under  the  clouds,  shines  fair  and  clear  a  little,  and 
then  sets.  *'  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day, 
that  the  light  shall  not  be  clear,  nor  dark.  But  it 
shall  come  to  pass,  that  at  evening  time  it  shall  be 
light,"  Zech.  xiv.  6,  7.  Such  was  the  case  of  Ja- 
cob in  his  old  age,  brought  in  honour  and  comfort 
into  Egypt  unto  his  son,  and  then  died. 

Yet,  whatever  liftings  up  they  get  in  this  life,  they 
will  never  want  some  weights  hanging  about  them 
for  their  humbling.  They  may  have  their  singing 
times,  but  their  songs,  while  in  this  world,  will  be 
mixed  with  groanings,  2  Cor.  v.  4.  "  For  we  that 
are  in  this  tabernacle  do  groan,  being  burdened." 
The  unmixed  dispensation  is  reserved  for  the  other 
world;  but  this  will  be  a  wilderness  unto  the  end, 
where  there  will  be  bowlings,  with  the  most  joyful 
notes. 

All  the  liftings  up  which  the  humbled  meet  with 
now  are  pledges,  and  but  pledges  and  samples  of 
the  great  lifting  up,  abiding  them  on  the  other  side; 
and  they  should  look  on  them  so.  Hos.  ii.  15.  "  And 
I  will  give  her  her  vineyards  from  thence,  and  the 
valley  of  Achor  for  a  door  of  hope ;  and  she  shall  sing 
there  as  in  the  days  of  her  youth,  and  as  in  the  day 
when  she  came  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt.  Our  Lord 
is  now  leading  his  people  through  the  wilderness,  and 
the  manna  and  the  water  of  the  rock  are  earnests  of 
the  milk  and  honey  flowing  in  the  promised  land. 
They  are  not  yet  come  home  to  their  father's  house, 
but  they  are  travelling  on  the  road,  and  Christ  their 


146  OBJECTION  ANSWERED. 

elder  brother  with  them,  who  bears  their  expenses, 
takes  them  into  inns  by  the  way,  as  it  were,  and 
refreshes  them  with  partial  liftings  up;  after  which, 
they  must  get  to  the  road  again.  But  that  entertain- 
ment by  the  way  is  a  pledge  of  the  full  entertainment 
he  will  afford  them  when  they  come  home. 

Object.  *'  But  people  may  get  a  lifting  up  in  time, 
that  yet  is  no  pledge  of  a  lifting  up  on  the  other  side: 
How  shall  I  know  it  then  to  be  a  pledge?" 

Ans.  That  lifting  up  which  comes  by  the  promises, 
is  certainly  a  pledge  of  the  full  lifting  up  in  the  other 
world;  for,  as  the  other  life  is  the  proper  time  of 
the  accomplishing  of  the  promises,  so  we  may  be 
sure,  that  when  God  once  begins  to  clear  his  bond, 
he  will  certainly  hold  on  till  it  is  fully  cleared. 
"  The  Lord  will  perfect  that  which  concerneth  me," 
Psalm  cxxxviii.  8.  So  we  may  say,  as  Naomi  to 
Ruth,  upon  her  receiving  the  six  measures  of  barley 
from  Boaz,  Ruth  iii.  18,  "He  will  not  be  in  rest 
until  he  have  finished  the  thing  this  day."  There 
are  liftings  up  that  come  by  common  providence,  and 
these  indeed  are  single,  and  not  pledges  of  more;  but 
the  promise  chains  mercies  together,  so  that  one  got 
is  a  pledge  of  another  to  come,  yea,  of  the  whole 
chain  to  the  end,  2  Sam.  v.  12. 

Quest.  "  But  how  shall  I  know  the  lifting  up  to 
come  by  the  way  of  the  promise?" 

Ans.  That  which  comes  by  the  way  of  the  pro- 
mise, comes  in  the  low  way  of  humiliation,  the 
high  way  of  faith,  or  believing  the  promise,  and 
the  long  way  of  waiting  hope  and  patient  continu- 
ance, James  v.  7.  "  Be  patient  therefore,  brethren, 
unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord.  Behold  the  husband- 
man waiteth  for  the  precious  fruit  of  the  earth,  and 
hath  long  patience  for  it  until  he  receive  the  early 
and  latter  rain.     Humility  prepares  for  the  accom- 


BENEFITS  OF  THIS  LIFTING  UP.  147 

plishment  of  the  promise,  faith  sucks  the  breast  of  it, 
and  patient  waiting  hangs  by  the  breast  till  the  milk 
come  abundantly. 

But  no  liftings  up  of  God's  children  here  are  any 
more  than  pledges  of  lifting  up.  God  gives  worldly 
men  their  stock  here,  but  his  children  get  nothing 
but  a  sample  of  theirs  here,  Psalm  xvii.  14.  Even 
as  the  servant  at  the  term  gets  his  fee  in  a  round 
sum,  while  the  young  heir  gets  nothing  but  a  few 
pence  for  spending  money.  The  truth  is,  this  same 
spending  money  is  more  valuable  than  the  world's 
stock.  Psalm  iv.  7.  "  Thou  hast  put  gladness  in  my 
heart,  more  than  in  the  time  that  their  corn  and  their 
wine  increased."  But  though  it  is  better  than  that, 
and  their  services  too,  and  more  worth  than  all  their 
waiting,  yet  it  is  below  the  honour  of  their  God  to 
put  them  off  with  it,  Heb.  xi.  16.  "  But  now  they 
desire  a  better  country,  that  is,  an  heavenly;  where- 
fore God  is  not  ashamed  to  be  called  their  God ;  for 
he  hath  prepared  for  them  a  city." 

We  shall  now  consider  what  they  will  get  by  this 
lifting  up  promised  to  the  humbled. 

They  will  get, 

1.  A  removal  of  their  humbling  circumstances. 
God  having  tried  them  awhile,  and  humbled  them, 
and  brought  down  their  hearts,  will,  at  length,  take 
off  their  burden,  remove  the  weight  so  long  hung  on 
them,  and  so  take  them  off  that  part  of  their  trial 
joyfully,  and  let  them  get  up  their  back  long  bowed 
down;  and  this  one  of  two  ways. 

Either  in  kind,  by  a  total  removal  of  the  bur- 
den. Such  a  lifting  Job  got,  when  the  Lord  turned 
back  his  captivity,  increased  again  his  family  and 
substance,  which  had  both  been  desolated.  David, 
when  Saul  his  persecutor  fell  in  battle,  and  he  was 
brought  to  the  kingdom  after  many  a  weary  day,  ex- 


148  BENEFITS  OF  THIS  LIFTING  UP. 

pecting  one  day  to  fall  by  his  hand.  It  is  easy  with 
our  God  to  make  such  turns  in  the  most  hurabUng 
circumstances. 

Or  in  equivalent,  or  as  good,  removing  the  weight 
of  the  burden,  that  though  it  remains,  it  presses  them 
no  more,  2  Cor.  xii.  9,  10.  "  And  he  said  unto  me. 
My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee,  for  my  strength  is 
made  perfect  in  weakness.  Most  gladly,  therefore, 
will  I  rather  glory  in  my  infirmities,  that  the  power 
of  Christ  may  rest  upon  me.  Therefore,  I  take 
pleasure  in  infirmities."  Though  they  are  not  got 
to  the  shore,  yet  their  head  is  no  more  under  the 
water,  but  lifted  up.  David  speaks  feelingly  of  such 
a  lifting  up,  Psal.  xxvii.  5,  6.  "  For  in  the  time  of 
trouble  he  shall  hide  me  in  his  pavilion ;  in  the  secret 
of  his  tabernacle  shall  he  hide  me;  he  shall  set  me 
upon  a  rock.  And  now  shall  mine  head  be  lifted  up 
above  mine  enemies  round  about  me ;  therefore  will 
I  offer  in  his  tabernacle  sacrifices  of  joy ;  I  will  sing, 
yea,  I  will  sing  praises  unto  the  Lord.  Such  had 
the  three  Hebrews  in  the  fiery  furnace,  the  fire  burnt, 
but  it  could  burn  nothing  of  them  but  their  bonds ; 
they  had  the  warmth  and  light  of  it,  but  nothing  of 
the  scorching  heat. 

2.  A  comfortable  sight  of  the  acceptance  of  their 
prayers,  put  up  in  their  humbling  circumstances. 
While  prayers  are  not  answered,  but  trouble  conti- 
nued, they  are  apt  to  think  they  are  not  accepted  or 
regarded  in  heaven,  because  there  is  no  alteration  in 
their  case.  Job  ix.  16,  17.  "  If  I  had  called,  and 
he  had  answered  me,  yet  would  I  not  believe  that 
he  had  hearkened  unto  my  voice,  for  he  breaketh  me 
with  a  tempest."  But  that  is  a  mistake;  they  are 
accepted  immediately,  though  not  answered,  1  John 
V.  14.  "  And  this  is  the  confidence  we  have  in  him, 
that  if  we  ask  any  thing  according  to  his  will,  he 


BENEFITS  OF  THIS  LIFTING  UP.  149 

hearelh  us."  The  Lord  does  with  them  as  a  father, 
with  the  letters  coming  thick  from  his  son  abroad, 
reads  them  one  by  one  with  pleasure,  and  care- 
fully lays  them  up  to  be  answered  at  his  con- 
venience. And  when  the  answer  comes,  the  son 
will  know  how  acceptable  they  were  to  his  father, 
Matt.  XV.  28. 

3.  A  heart-satisfying  answer  of  their  prayers,  so 
that  they  shall  not  only  get  the  thing,  but  se^^  they 
have  it  as  an  answer  of  prayer;  and  they  will  put  a 
double  value  on  the  mercy,  1  Sam.  ii.  1.  Accepted 
prayers  may  be  very  long  of  answering,  many  years, 
as  in  Abraham  and  David's  case,  but  they  cannot 
miscarry  of  an  answer  at  length,  Psalm  ix.  18.  The 
time  will  come  when  God  will  tell  out  to  them,  ac- 
cording to  the  promise,  that  they  shall  change  their 
note,  and  say,  Psalm  cxvi.  1.  "I  love  the  Lord, 
because  he  hath  heard  my  voice,  and  my  supplica- 
tion:" looking  on  their  lifting  up  as  bearing  the  sig- 
nature of  the  hand  of  a  prayer-hearing  God. 

4.  Full  satisfaction,  as  to  the  conduct  of  Provi- 
dence, in  all  the  steps  of  the  humbling  circumstances, 
and  the  delay  of  the  lifting  up,  however  perplexing 
these  were  before,  Revelation  xv.  3.  Standing  on 
the  shore,  and  looking  back  to  what  they  have  passed 
through,  they  will  be  made  to  say,  "  He  hath  done 
all  things  well."  Those  things  which  are  bitter  to 
Christians  in  the  passing  through,  are  very  sweet  in 
the  reflection  on  them;  so  is  Samson's  riddle  verified 
in  their  experience. 

5.  They  get  the  lifting  up,  together  with  the  in- 
terest for  the  time  they  lay  out  of  it.  When  God 
pays  his  bonds  of  promises,  he  pays  both  principal 
and  interest  together;  the  mercy  is  increased  accord- 
ing to  the  time  they  waited,  and  the  expenses  and 
hardships  sustained,  during  the  dependance  of  the 


150  THE  DUE  TIME  OF  THIS  LIFTING  UP. 

process.  The  fruits  of  common  providence  are 
soon  ripe,  soon  rotten;  but  the  fruit  of  the  promise 
is  often  long  a  ripening,  but  then  it  is  durable:  and 
the  longer  it  is  a  ripening,  it  is  the  more  valuable 
when  it  comes.  Abraham  and  Sarah  waited  for  the 
promise  about  ten  years,  at  length  they  thought  on 
a  way  to  hasten  it.  Gen.  xvi.  That  soon  took,  in 
the  birth  of  Ishmael,  but  he  was  not  the  promised 
son.  They  were  coming  into  extreme  old  age  ere 
the  promise  brought  forth,  Gen.  xviii.  11.  But 
when  it  came,  they  got  it  with  an  addition  of  the 
renewing  of  their  ages,  Gen.  xxi.  7;  and  xxv.  1. 
The  most  valuable  of  all  the  promises  was  the  long- 
est in  fulfilling,  namely,  the  promise  of  Christ,  that 
was  four  thousand  years. 

6.  The  spiritual  enemies,  that  flew  thick  about 
them  in  the  time  of  the  darkness  of  the  humbling 
circumstances,  will  be  scattered  at  this  lifting  up  in 
the  promise,  1  Sam.  ii.  1,5.  "  And  Hannah  prayed 
and  said.  My  heart  rejoiceth  in  the  Lord,  my  mouth 
is  enlarged  over  mine  enemies.  They  that  were  full 
have  hired  out  themselves  for  bread,  and  they  that 
were  hungry  ceased."  Formidable  was  Pharaoh's 
host  behind  the  Israelites,  while  they  had  the  Red 
Sea  before  them ;  but  when  they  were  through  the 
sea,  they  saw  the  Egyptians  dead  on  the  shore. 
Exod.  xiv.  30.  Such  a  sight  will  they  that  humble 
themselves  under  humbling  circumstances  get  of  their 
spiritual  enemies,  when  the  time  comes  for  their 
lifting  up. 

We  come  now  to  the  due  time  of  this  lifting  up. 
That  is  a  natural  question  of  those  who  are  in 
humbling  circumstances,  "  Watchman,  what  of  the 
night?"  Isa.  xxi.  11,  12.  And  we  cannot  answer  it 
to  the  humbled  soul,  but  in  the  general. 

The  lifting  up  of  the  humbled  will  not  be  longsorac. 


THE  DUE  TIME  OF  LIFTING  UP.  151 

considering  the  weight  of  the  matter ;  that  is  to  say, 
considering  the  worth  and  value  of  the  lifting  up  of 
the  humble ;  when  it  comes  it  can  by  no  means  be 
reckoned  long  to  the  time  of  it.  When  you  sow 
your  corn  in  the  fields,  though  it  does  not  ripen  so 
soon  as  some  garden-seeds,  but  you  wait  three 
months  or  so,  you  do  not  think  the  harvest  long  a 
coming,  considering  the  value  of  the  crop.  This 
view  the  apostle  takes  of  the  lifting  up  in  humbling 
circumstances,  2  Cor.  iv.  17.  "  For  our  light  afflic- 
tion, which  is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh  for  us  a  far 
more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory.''  So 
that  a  believer,  looking  on  the  promise  with  an  eye 
of  faith,  and  perceiving  its  accomplishment,  and  the 
worth  of  it  when  accomplished,  may  wonder  it  is 
come  so  shortly.  Therefore,  it  is  determined  to  be 
a  time  that  comes  soon,  Luke  xviii.  7,  8 ;  soon  in 
respect  of  its  weight  and  worth. 

When  the  time  comes,  it  and  only  it  will  appear 
the  due  time.  To  every  thing  there  is  a  season,  and 
a  great  part  of  wisdom  lies  in  discerning  it,  and 
doing  things  in  this  season  thereof.  And  we  may 
be  sure  infinite  Wisdom  cannot  miss  the  season,  by 
mistaking  it,  Deut.  xxxii.  4.  *'  He  is  a  rock,  his 
work  is  perfect;  for  all  his  ways  are  judgment." 
But  whatever  God  doth,  will  abide  the  strictest  ex- 
amination, in  that,  as  all  other  points,  Eccles.  iii. 
14.  "  I  know  that  whatsoever  God  doth,  it  shall 
be  for  ever;  nothing  can  be  put  to  it,  nor  any  thing 
taken  from  it:  and  God  doth  it  that  men  may  fear 
before  him."  It  is  true,  many  times  appear  to  us 
as  the  due  time  for  lifting  up,  which  yet  really  is  not 
so,  because  there  are  some  circumstances  hid  from 
us,  which  render  that  season  unfit  for  the  thing. — 
Hence,  John  vii.  6.  "  My  time  is  not  yet  come,  but 
your  time  is  always  ready."  But  when  all  the  cir- 
15 


152  THE  DUE  TIME  OF  LIFTING  UP. 

cumstances,  always  foreknown  of  God,  shall  come 
to  be  opened  out,  and  laid  together  before  us,  we 
shall  then  see  the  lifting  up  is  come  in  the  lime 
most  for  the  honour  of  God  and  our  good,  and  that 
it  would  not  have  done  so  well  sooner. 

When  the  time  comes  that  is  really  the  due  time, 
the  proper  time  for  the  lifting  up  a  child  of  God  from 
his  humbling  circumstances,  it  will  not  be  put  off 
one  moment  longer,  Hab.  ii.  3.  "  At  the  end  it 
shall  speak,  it  will  surely  come,  it  will  not  tarry/' 
Though  it  tarry,  it  will  not  linger,  nor  be  put  off 
to  another  time.  0  what  rest  of  heart  would  the 
firm  faith  of  this  afford  us  !  there  is  not  a  child  of 
God  but  would,  with  the  utmost  earnestness,  protest 
against  a  lifting  up  before  the  due  time,  as  against 
an  unripe  fruit  cast  to  him  by  an  angry  father  which 
would  set  his  teeth  on  edge.  Since  it  is  so  then, 
could  we  firmly  believe  this  point,  that  it  will  un- 
doubtedly come  in  the  due  time,  without  losing  of  a 
minute,  it  would  afford  a  sound  rest.  It  must  be 
so,  because  God  has  said  it;  were  the  case  ever  so 
hopeless,  were  mountains  of  difficulties  lying  in  the 
way  of  it,  at  the  appointed  time  it  will  blow.  (Hebrew) 
Hab.  ii.  3.  A  metaphor  from  the  wind  rising  in  a 
moment  after  a  dead  calm. 

The  humbling  circumstances  are  ordinarily  carried 
to  the  utmost  point  of  hopelessness  before  the  lifting 
up.  The  knife  was  at  Isaac's  throat  before  the 
voice  was  heard.  2  Cor.  i.  8,  9.  "  For  we  would 
not,  brethren,  have  you  ignorant  of  our  trouble  which 
came  to  us  in  Asia,  that  we  were  pressed  out  of  mea- 
sure, above  strength,  insomuch  that  we  despaired  even 
of  life  ;  but  we  had  the  sentence  of  death  in  ourselves, 
that  we  should  not  trust  in  ourselves,  but  in  God, 
which  raiseth  the  dead."  Things  soon  seem  to  us 
arrived  at  that  point;  such  is  the  hastiness  of  our 


THE  DUE  TIME  OF  LIFTING  UP.  153 

spirits.  But  things  may  have  far  to  go  down  after 
we  think  they  are  at  the  foot  of  the  hill.  And  we 
are  almost  as  little  competent  judges  of  the  point  of 
hopelessness,  as  of  the  due  time  of  lifting  up.  But 
generally  God  carries  his  people's  humbling  circum- 
stances downward,  still  downward,  till  they  come  to 
that  point. 

Herein  God  is  holding  the  same  course  which  he 
held  in  the  case  of  the  man  Christ,  the  beloved  pat- 
tern copied  after,  in  all  the  dispensations  of  Provi- 
dence towards  the  church,  and  every  particular 
believer,  Rom.  viii.  29.  He  was  all  along  a  man  of 
sorrows ;  as  his  time  went  on,  the  waters  swelled 
more,  till  he  was  brought  to  the  dust  of  death;  then 
he  was  hurried,  and  the  grave-stone  sealed  ;  which 
done,  the  world  thought  they  were  quit  of  him,  and 
he  would  trouble  them  no  more.  But  they  quite 
mistook  it;  then,  and  not  till  then,  was  the  due 
time  for  lifting  him  up.  And  the  most  remarkable 
liftings  up  that  his  people  get,  are  fashioned  after 
this  grand  pattern. 

Another  end  which  Providence  aims  at,  is  to  carry 
the  believer  clean  off  his  own,  and  all  created 
foundations,  to  fix  his  trust  and  hope  in  the  Lord 
alone,  2  Cor.  i.  9.  "  That  we  should  not  trust  in 
ourselves,  but  in  God  which  raiseth  the  dead." 
The  life  of  a  Christian  here  is  designed  to  be  a  life 
of  faith  ;  and  though  faith  may  act  more  easily  when 
it  has  some  help  from  sense,  yet  it  certainly  acts 
most  nobly  when  it  acts  in  opposition  to  sense. 
Then  is  it  pure  faith  when  it  stands  only  on  its  own 
native  legs,  the  power  and  word  of  God,  Rom.  iv. 
19,  20.  "And  being  not  weak  in  faith,  he  consi- 
dered not  his  own  body  now  dead — neither  yet  the 
deadness  of  Sarah's  womb.  He  staggered  not  at 
the  promise    of    God    through    unbelief;    but   was 


154  PREPARATION  OF  HEART  NECESSARY. 

Strong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to  God.  And  thus  it 
must  do,  when  matters  are  carried  to  the  utmost  point 
of  hopelessness. 

Again,  due  preparation  of  the  heart,  for  the  lifting 
up  out  of  the  humbling  circumstances,  goes  before 
the  due  time  of  that  lifting  up,  according  to  the  pro- 
mise. It  is  not  so  in  every  lifting  up;  the  liftings 
up  of  common  providences  are  not  so  critically 
managed;  men  will  have  them,  will  wait^for  them 
no  longer,  and  God  flings  them  in  anger,  ere  they 
are  prepared  for  them,  Hos.  xiii.  11.  *' I  gave 
thee  a  king  in  mine  anger."  They  can  by  no 
means  abide  the  trial,  and  God  takes  them  off  as 
reprobate  silver  that  is  not  able  to  abide  it,  Jer.  vi. 
29,  30. 

This  due  preparation  consists  in  a  due  humiliation, 
Psa.  X.  17.  And  it  often  takes  much  work  to  bring 
about  this,  which  is  another  point  that  we  are  very 
incompetent  judges  of.  We  should  have  thought 
Job  was  brought  very  low  in  his  spirit,  by  the  pro- 
vidence of  God  bruising  him  on  the  one  hand,  and 
his  friends  on  the  other,  for  a  long  tjme :  yet,  after 
all  that  he  had  endured  both  ways,  God  saw  it  neces- 
sary to  speak  to  him  himself,  for  his  humiliation, 
chap,  xxxviii.  1.  By  that  speech  of  God  himself, 
he  was  brought  to  his  knees,  chap.  xl.  4,  5.  And 
we  should  have  thought  he  was  then  sufficiently 
humbled,  and  perhaps  he  thought  so  too.  But  God 
saw  a  further  degree  of  humiliation  necessary,  and 
therefore  begins  again  to  speak  for  his  humiliation, 
which  at  length  laid  him  in  the  dust,  chap.  xlii.  5,  6. 
And  when  he  was  thus  prepared  for  lifting  up,  he 
got  it. 

There  are  six  things,  I  conceive,  belong  to  this 
humiliation,  preparatory  to  lifting  up. 

1.  A  deep  sense  of  sinfulness  and  unworlhiness 


RESIGNATION  TO  THE  WILL  OF  GOD  155 

of  being  lifted  up  at  all,  Job  xl.  4.  "  Behold  I  am 
vile,  what  shall  I  answer  thee?  I  will  lay  mine 
hand  upon  my  mouth."  People  may  be  long  in 
humbling  circumstances,  ere  they  be  brought  this 
length  ;  even  good  men  are  much  prejudiced  in 
their  own  behalf,  and  may  so  far  forget  themselves 
as  to  think  God  deals  his  favours  unequally,  and  is 
mighty  severe  on  them  more  than  others.  Elihu 
raarketh  this  fault  in  Job,  under  his  humbling  cir- 
cumstances. Job  xxxiii.  8 — 12.  And  I  beheve  it 
will  be  found,  there  is  readily  a  greater  keenness  to 
vindicate  our  own  honour  from  the  imputation  the 
humbling  circumstances  seem  to  lay  upon  it,  than  to 
vindicate  the  honour  of  God  in  the  justice  and  equity 
of  the  dispensation.  The  blindness  of  an  ill-natured 
world,  still  ready  to  suspect  the  worst  causes  for 
humbling  circumstances,  as  if  the  greatest  sufferers 
were  surely  the  greatest  sinners,  Luke  xiii.  4,  gives 
a  handle  for  this  bias  of  the  corrupt  nature. — But 
God  is  a  jealous  God,  and  when  he  appears  suffi- 
ciently to  humble,  he  will  cause  the  matter  of  our 
honour  to  give  way  to  the  vindication  of  his. 

2.  A  resignation  to  the  divine  pleasure  as  to  the 
time  of  lifting  up.  God  gives  the  promise,  leaving 
the  time  blank  as  to  us.  Our  time  is  always  ready, 
and  we  rashly  fill  it  up  at  our  own  hand.  God  does 
not  keep  our  time,  because  it  is  not  the  due  time. 
Hence  we  are  ready  to  think  his  word  fails  ;  whereas 
it  is  but  our  own  rash  conclusion  from  it  that  fails, 
Psal.  cxvi.  11.  "I  said  in  my  haste.  All  men  are 
liars."  Several  of  the  saints  have  suffered  much  by 
this  means,  and  thereby  learned  to  let  alone  filling 
up  that  blank.  The  first  promise  was  thus  used  by 
believing  Eve,  Gen.  iv.  1.  Another  promise  was  so 
by  believing  Abraham,  after  about  ten  years'  waiting. 
Gen.  xvi. 

15* 


156  RESIGNATION  TO  THE  WILL  OF  GOD. 

If  this  be  the  case  of  any  child  of  God,  let  them 
not  be  discouraged  upon  it,  thinking  they  were  over- 
rash  in  applying  the  promise  to  themselves :  they 
were  only  so  in  applying  the  time  to  the  promise; 
a  mistake  that  saints  in  all  ages  have  made,  which 
they  repented,  and  saw  the  folly  of,  and  let  alone 
that  point  for  the  time  to  come ;  and  then  the  pro- 
mise was  fulfdled  in  its  own  due  time.  Let  them 
in  such  circumstances  go  and  do  likewise,  leaving 
the  time  entirely  to  the  Lord. 

3.  An  entire  resignation  as  to  the  way  and  man- 
ner of  bringing  it  about.  We  are  ready  to  do,  as  to 
the  way  of  accomplishing  the  promise,  just  as  with 
the  time  of  it,  to  set  a  particular  way  for  the  Lord's 
working  of  it ;  and  if  that  be  not  kept,  the  proud 
heart  is  stumbled,  2  Kings  v.  IL  "But  Naaman 
was  wroth,  and  he  went  away,  and  said,  Behold,  I 
thought  he  will  surely  come  out  to  me,  and  stand  and 
call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  his  God,  and  strike  his 
hand  over  the  place."  But  the  Lord  will  have  his 
people  broken  off  from  that  too,  that  they  shall  pre- 
scribe no  way  to  him,  but  leave  it  to  him  entirely,  as 
in  that  case,  ver.  14.  "  He  went  down  and  dipped 
himself  seven  times  in  Jordan,  according  to  the  saying 
of  the  man  of  God, — and  he  was  clean."  The  com- 
pass of  our  knowledge  of  ways  and  means  is  very 
narrow,  as,  if  one  is  blocked  up,  ofltimes  we  cannot 
see  another;  but  our  God  knows  many  ways  of  re- 
lief, where  we  know  but  one  or  none  at  all:  and  it  is 
very  usual  for  the  Lord  to  bring  the  lifting  up  of  his 
people  inra  way  they  had  no  view  to,  after  repeated 
disappointments  from  those  quarters  whence  they 
had  great  expectation. 

4.  Resignation  as  to  the  degree  of  the  lifting  up, 
yea,  and  as  to  the  very  being  of  it  in  time.  The 
Lord  will  have  his  people  weaned  so,  that  however 


PATIENT  WAITING  ON  GOD.  157 

hasty  they  have  sometimes  been,  that  they  behoved 
to  be  so  soon  lifted  up,  and  could  no  longer  bear, 
they  shall  be  brought  at  length  to  set  no  time  at  all, 
but  submit  to  go  to  the  grave  under  their  weight,  if 
it  seem  good  in  the  Lord's  eyes ;  and  in  that  case 
they  will  be  brought  to  be  content  with  any  measure 
of  it  in  time,  without  prescribing  how  much,  2  Sam. 
XV.  25,  26.  "  If  I  shall  find  favour  in  the  eyes  of  the 
Lord,  he  will  bring  me  again — But  if  he  thus  say,  I 
have  no  delight  in  thee ;  behold,  here  am  I,  let  him 
do  as  seemeth  good  unto  him." 

5.  The  continuing  of  praying  and  waiting  on  the 
Lord  in  the  case,  Eph.  vi.  18.  "  Praying  always 
with  all  prayer  and  supplication  in  the  Spirit,  and 
watching  thereunto  with  all  perseverance."  It  is 
pride  of  heart,  and  unsubduedness  of  spirit,  that 
makes  people  give  over  praying  and  waiting,  be- 
cause their  humbling  circumstances  are  lengthened 
out  time  after  time,  2  Kings  vi.  33.  But  due  humi- 
lity, going  before  the  lifting  up,  brings  men  into 
that  temper,  to  pray,  wait,  and  hang  on  resolutely, 
setting  no  time  for  the  giving  it  over  till  the  lifting 
up  come,  whether  in  time  or  eternity.  Lam.  iii. 
49,  50. 

6.  Mourning  under  mismanagements  in  the  trial, 
Job  xlii.  3.  "  Therefore  have  I  uttered  that  I  un- 
derstood not,  things  too  wonderful  for  me,  which  I 
knew  not."  The  proud  heart  dwells  and  expatiates 
on  the  man's  sufferings  in  the  trial,  and  casts  out  all 
the  folds  of  the  trial,  on  that  side,  and  views  them 
again  and  again.  But  when  the  Spij-it  of  God  comes 
duly  to  humble,  in  order  to  lifting  up,  he  will  cause 
the  man  to  pass,  in  a  sort,  the  sutTering  side  of  the 
trial,  and  turn  his  eyes  on  his  own  conduct  in  it, 
ransack  it,  judge  himself  impartially,  and  condemn 
himself,  so  that  his  mouth  will  be  stopt.     This  is 


158  THE  FINAL  LIFTING  UP. 

that  humility  that  goeth  before  the  lifting  up  in  time 
in  the  way  of  the  promise. 

We  proceed  to  consider  the  lifting  up  as  brought 
about  at  the  end  of  time   in  the   other  world,     And, 

1st.  A  word  as  to  the  nature  of  this  lifting  up. 
Concerning  it  we  shall  say  these  five  things : 

1.  There  is  a  certainty  of  this  lifting  up,  in  all 
cases  of  the  humbled  under  humbling  circumstannes. 
Though  one  cannot,  in  every  case,  make  them  sure 
of  a  lifting  up  in  time,  yet  they  may  be  assured,  be 
the  case  what  it'  may,  they  will  without  all  perad- 
venture,  get  a  lifting  up  on  the  other  side,  2  Cor. 
V.  I.  "For  we  know,  that  if  our  earthly  house  of 
this  tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of 
God,  an  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the 
heavens."  Though  God's  humble  children  may 
both  breakfast  and  dine  on  bread  of  adversity,  and 
water  of  affliction,  they  will  be  sure  to  sup  sweetly 
and  plentifully.  And  the  believing  expectation  of 
the  latter  might  serve  to  qualify  the  former,  and  make 
them  easy  under  it. 

2.  It  will  be  a  perfect  lifting  up,  Heb.  xii.  22. 
They  will  be  perfectly  delivered  out  of  their  parti- 
cular trials  and  special  furnace,  be  what  it  will,  that 
made  them  wear}^  many  a  day.  Lazarus  was  then 
delivered  from  his  poverty  and  sores,  and  lying  at 
the  rich  man's  gate,  Luke  xvi.  22,  and  fully  deli- 
vered. Yea,  they  will  get  a  lifting  up  from  all  their 
humbling  circumstances  together.  All  imperfections 
will  then  be  at  an  end,  inferiority  in  relations,  con- 
tradictions, afflictions,  uncertainty,  and  sin.  If  it 
was  long  in  coming,  there  will  be  a  blessed  moment 
when  they  shall  get  altogether. 

3.  They  will  not  only  be  raised  out  of  their  low 
condition,  but  they  will  be  set  up  on  high,  as  Jo- 
seph ;    not  only  brought  out   of  prison,   but   made 


THE  FINAL  LIFTING  UP.  159 

ruler  over  the  land  of  Egypt.  And  they  will  be 
lifted  up  into  a  high  place,  Luke  xvi.  22.  "The 
beggar  died,  and  was  carried  by  the  angels  into 
Abraham's  bosom."  Now  they  are  at  best  but  in  a 
low  place,  upon  this  earth  ;  there  they  will  be  seated 
in  the  highest  heavens,  Phil.  i.  23,  with  Eph.  iv.  10. 
Often  in  their  humbling  circumstances,  they  are 
obliged  now  to  embrace  dunghills;  then  they  will  be 
set  with  Christ  on  his  throne.  Rev.  iii.  21.  '♦  To  him 
that  overcometh  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  on  my 
throne."  Though  they  now  cleave  to  the  earth,  and 
men  say,  Bow  down,  that  we  may  pass  over  you, 
they  will  then  be  settled  in  the  heavenly  mansions, 
above  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars.  They  will  also  be 
lifted  up  into  a  high  state  and  condition,  a  state  of 
perfection.  Out  of  all  their  troubles  and  uneasiness, 
they  will  be  set  in  a  state  of  rest ;  from  their  mean 
and  inglorious  condition,  they  will  be  advanced  into 
a  state  of  glory  ;  their  burdened  and  sorrowful  life 
will  be  succeeded  with  a  fulness  of  joy  ;  and,  for  their 
humbling  circumstances,  they  will  be  clothed  with 
eternal  glory  and  honour. 

4.  It  will  be  a  final  lifting  up,  after  which  there 
will  be  no  more  casting  down  for  ever,  Rev.  vii.  16. 
When  we  get  a  lifting  up  in  time,  we  are  apt  to  ima- 
gine fondly  we  are  at  the  end  of  our  trials;  but  we 
soon  find  we  are  too  hasty  in  our  conclusions,  and 
the  cloud  returns,  Psal.  xxx.  6,7.  "In  my  pros- 
perity I  said,  I  shall  never  be  moved.  Thou  didst 
hide  thy  face,  and  I  was  troubled.''  But  then  in- 
deed the  trial  is  quite  over,  the  fight  is  at  an  end, 
and  then  is  the  time  of  the  retribution  and  triumph. 

5.  There  will  not  be  the  least  remaining  uneasi- 
ness from  the  humbling  circumstances,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  they  will  have  a  glorious  and  desirable 
effect.     I  make  no  question  but  the  saints  will  have 


160  THE  FINAL  LIFTING  UP. 

the  remembrance  of  the  humbling  circumstances 
they  were  under  here  bek)w.  Did  the  rich  man  in 
hell  remember  his  having  five  brethren  on  the  earth, 
how  sumptuously  he  fared,  how  Lazarus  sat  at  his 
gate ;  and  can  we  doubt  but  the  saints  will  remem- 
ber perfectly  their  heavy  trials  !  Rev.  vi.  10.  But 
then  they  will  remember  them  as  waters  that  fail ; 
as  the  man  recovered  to  health  remembers  his  toss- 
ings  on  the  sick  bed ;  and  that  is  a  way  of  remem- 
bering that  sweetens  the  present  state  of  health  be- 
yond what  otherwise  it  would  be.  Certainly  the 
shore  of  the  Red  Sea  was  the  place  that,  of  all 
places,  was  the  fittest  to  help  the  Israelites  to  sing 
in  the  highest  key.  And  the  humbling  circumstances 
of  saints  on  the  earth  will  be  of  the  same  use  to  them 
in  heaven.  Rev.  xv.  3. 

2dly.  A  word  to  the  due  time  of  this  lifting  up. 
— There  is  a  particular,  definite  time  for  it  in  every 
saint's  case,  which  is  the  due  time,  but  it  is  hid  from 
us.     We  can  only  say  in  general. 

1.  Then  is  the  due  time  for  it,  when  our  work  we 
have  to  do  in  this  world  is  over.  God  has  appointed 
to  everyone  his  task,  fight,  trial,  and  work;  and, 
till  that  is  done,  we  are  in  a  sort  immortal,  John  ix. 
4,  and  xi.  9.     That  work  is. 

Doing  work ;  work  set  to  us,  by  the  great  Master, 
to  be  done  for  the  honour  of  God  and  the  good  of 
our  fellow-creatures,  Eccl.  ix.  10.  We  must  be 
content  to  be  doing  on,  even  in  our  humbling  cir- 
cumstances till  that  be  done  out.  It  is  not  the  due 
time  for  that  lifting  up,  till  we  are  at  the  end  of  that 
work  and  so  have  served  our  generation.  And  it  is. 

Suffering  work.  There  is  a  certain  portion  of 
suff'ering  that  is  allotted  for  the  mystical  body ;  the 
head  has  divided  to  the  several  members  their 
proportions  thereof;  and  it  is  not  the  due   time   for 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  WHOLE.  161 

that  lifting  up,  till  we  have  exhausted  the  share 
thereof  allotted  to  us.  Paul  looked  on  his  life  as  a 
going  on  in  that,  Col.  i.  24. 

2.  When  that  lifting  up  comes,  we  shall  see  it  is 
come  exactly  in  the  due  time  ;  that  it  was  well  it 
was  neither  sooner  nor  later ;  for  though  heaven  is 
always  better  than  earth  and  that  it  would  be  better 
for  us,  absolutely  speaking,  to  be  in  heaven  than  on 
earth,  yet  certainly  there  is  a  time  wherein  it  is 
better,  for  the  honour  of  God,  and  his  service,  that 
we  be  on  the  earth  than  in  heaven,  Phil.  i.  24.  **  Ne- 
vertheless, to  abide  in  the  flesh  is  more  needful  for 
you."  And  it  will  be  no  grief  of  heart  to  them  when 
there,  that  they  were  so  long  in  their  humbling  cir- 
cumstances, and  were  not  brought  sooner. 

Use  1.  Let  not  then  the  humble  cast  away  their  con- 
fidence, whatever  their  humbling  circumstances  be  ; 
let  them  assure  themselves  there  will  come  a  lifting 
up  to  them  at  length  ;  if  not  here,  yet  to  be  sure 
hereafter.  Let  them  keep  this  in  their  view,  and 
comfort  themselves  with  it,  for  God  has  said  it, 
Psal.  ix.  18.  "The  needy  shall  not  always  be  for- 
gotten." If  the  night  were  ever  so  long,  the  morn- 
ing will  come  at  length. 

2.  Let  patience  have  her  perfect  work.  The 
husbandman  waits  for  the  return  of  his  seed,  the 
merchant  for  the  return  of  his  ships,  the  store-master 
for  what  he  calls  year-time,  when  he  draws  in  the 
produce  of  his  flocks.  All  these  have  long  patience, 
and  why  should  not  the  Christian  too  have  patience, 
and  patiently  wait  for  the  time  appointed  for  his 
lifting  up  ? 

Ye  have  heard  much  of  the  Crook  in  the  Lot ; 
the  excellency  of  humbleness  of  spirit  in  a  low  lot, 
beyond  pride  of  spirit,  though  joined  with  a  high 
one : — Ye  have  been  called  to  humble  yourselves  in 


162  THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  WHOLE. 

your  humbling  circumstances,  and  have  been  assured 
in  that  case  of  a  lifting  up.  To  conclude:  we  may- 
assure  ourselves,  God  will  at  length  break  in  pieces 
the  proud,  be  they  ever  so  high ;  and  he  will  tri- 
umphantly lift  up  the  humble,  be  they  ever  so  low. 


THE  END. 


